Talking to the media in connection with World Parkinson’s Day here on Monday, Lahore General Hospital (LGH) Neurosurgeon Dr Khalid Mahmood said that more than 400,000 suffer from the disease in Pakistan.
“Even though the treatment of Parkinson’s is not as expensive as it is in other countries, it is still out of the reach of Pakistan’s poor. Therefore, philanthropists, donors, and social organizations must come forward for the financial assistance of Parkinson’s patients in the country,” he said.
He said that due to the provision of modern medical equipment worth Rs 50 million by the Punjab government, deep brain simulation (DBS) treatment has been introduced at LGH, the first of its kind in the country.
He further said that patients of Parkinson’s bear expenses up to Rs 10 million in the US, UK, and other developed countries which was 5 times more costly than the treatment being provided at LGH. “Many overseas Pakistanis, and even Indians, have approached us for surgery and treatment of Parkinson’s,” he said.
