Lupus patients raise an outcry over the steep cost of medication.
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On an average a patient needs about UGX 32000 per day for medication.
- The scarcity of Lupus doctors in the country is also becoming a threat to their lives
Lupus patients say the high cost of medication has seen majority of them lose their lives .
Lupus is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks its own tissues, causing widespread inflammation and tissue damage in the affected organs. It can affect the joints, skin, brain, lungs, kidneys, and blood vessels.
Penina Namirembe Nantume who was diagnosed with the disease in 2021 noted that on an average they need about UGX 32000 per day for medication.
“You need vitamins , folic Acid, immunosuppressant's , antibiotics among others and even our tests are so expensive, sunscreen is also not affordable, ” Nantume explained.
She stated that the scarcity of Lupus doctors in the country is also becoming a threat to their lives as it makes many of them live a life full of pain without proper treatment.
”We don’t have the right doctors, People are dying others are kept in homes because when you go for medical checkups , they tell you nothing is wrong with you yet you are in unmeasurable pain" Nantume narrated.
She states that there's no cure for lupus. This makes living with it a challenge. But with a proper treatment plan to minimize flares and certain lifestyle changes, it's possible to manage symptoms and take care of yourself, therefore people with lupus can live normal, healthy lives.
She made the remarks ahead of the world lupus day slated for 10th /May . People living with lupus ”lupus warriors” in Uganda will hold the commemorations at Motive Uganda where they will create awareness about the disease.