On April 11, the World Day against Parkinson’s Disease is celebrated and the Panhellenic Association of Patients and Caregivers PAR.KIN.S.ON organized an event with the slogan, “Don’t stay OFF. declare ‘present’“, as Parkinson’s disease is characterized by phases of motor fluctuations, with the OFF phase where patients show signs of poor mobility during the day and the ON phase, with signs of good motor status.

The motor symptoms of the disease are muscle stiffness, dyskinesia and bradykinesia with delayed initiation of a movement, resting tremor with involuntary muscle contraction at rest and inability to maintain balance with increased chances of painful falls for patients.

For a national effort, the General Secretary of Public Health, Mrs. Fofo Kalyva, spoke during her greeting, noting that the disease is also a Public Health problem, a challenge not only for the health services, but also for society itself.

“We must ensure equal access to quality services for all Parkinson’s patients and achieve the reduction of inequalities in treatment with modern scientific protocols. To increase public and professional awareness of Parkinson’s disease and to minimize stigma and discrimination“, he said.

Fotini Skondra, president of the Association of Patients and Caregivers PAR.KIN.S.ON, shared her personal experience, noting that the symptoms of the disease lead to a severe form of disability, with unbearable financial costs for the patients and for the state . Ms. Skondra observed that the management of the disease in Greece is not optimal despite the efforts made by the state. At the same time, he pointed out the most important issues that need attention, such as, among others, equal access to medical care, the creation of multidisciplinary treatment centers, the possibility of home care and communication through telemedicine, the creation of a digital registry and the strengthening of clinical studies.

“If we all rally together, with the institutional component of the state and the remarkable scientific potential of the country, then we will benefit the more than 25,000 Greek patients and their families“, he said.

For his part, Leonidas Stefanis, professor of Neurology, director of the 1st Neurological Clinic, Aeginetio Hospital, EKPA Medical School, collaborating researcher, Medical Biological Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens stated that very important discoveries have already been made at the level of biomarker research and disease-modifying treatments , with the participation of Greek patients, underlining the need to further strengthen research activity by the state. He pointed out, in fact, that: “in Greece there is the largest group of patients and families, worldwide, with genetic forms related to the disease”, emphasizing the importance of more intensive study of these families.

Mr. Stefanis particularly focused on the fact that: “the modern therapeutic options, especially the technically assisted ones, despite their documented benefit, are applied with a long delay in public hospitals, when the disease has progressed to an advanced stage and the regulation of the symptoms is done with great difficulty” and he emphasized “there is a need to strengthen the active treatment with physical exercise, physiotherapy, speech therapy, psychological support and neurological rehabilitation, which should be supported by the organization of multidisciplinary teams in specialized Parkinson’s Centers».

Spyridon Konitsiotis, professor of Neurology, director of the PGNI Neurological Clinic, president of the Medical School of the University of Ioannina, president of the Academy of Neurosciences, said that “in Greece technologically assisted treatments are not offered to patients to the same extent as in other European countries“, while he also focused on the proper management of the parkinsonian patient that requires a multidisciplinary team, under the guidance of a specialist neurologist.

Kyriakos Souliotis, professor of Health Policy, dean of the School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Peloponnese, focused on the need to adopt modern political approaches and referred to the challenges of correct and timely diagnosis and then patient access to available, innovative treatments, which contribute decisively to the improvement of patients’ quality of life.

Georgios Tsivgoulis, professor of Neurology EKPA, director of the 2nd Neurological Clinic EKPA, PGN “ATTIKON” and president of the Hellenic Neurological Society stated that “movement disorders including Parkinson’s disease, augmented parkinsonian syndromes, tremor, and several other involuntary hyperkinesias and dyskinesias are a common cause of morbidity and mortality in the general population».

He also noted that: “for the last four years, the Hellenic Neurological Society has been active in the organization and implementation of annual educational activities focused on the diseases of extrapyramidal disorders. The aim is to better educate and inform neurologists about the latest developments in the diagnosis and treatment of extrapyramidal diseases and to inform patients and society as a whole about existing and future diagnostic and therapeutic perspectives”while adding that: “with the assistance of the Greek state, we have taken active action for the unhindered distribution of pharmaceutical preparations to Greek patients with Parkinson’s disease and extrapyramidal disorders».

The event was held at the initiative of the Panhellenic Association of Patients and Caregivers PAR.KIN.S.ON, with the Support of the bodies: Hellenic Neurological Society, Academy of Neurosciences, Medical School of Athens – 1st Neurological Clinic of Aiginetio Hospital, Institute of Health Policy , Greek Patients’ Association.