{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,24]],"date-time":"2026-09-24T22:43:20Z","timestamp":1790289800242,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":22,"publisher":"Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers","issue":"Theme","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2024,12,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>ABSTRACT<\/jats:title>\n               <jats:p>Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, inflammatory, and neurodegenerative condition characterized by the immune system's attack on the myelin sheath, leading to neurological dysfunction. While the prevalence of MS in Africa remains lower than in other regions, it has been rising steadily in recent years, with unique challenges hindering its effective management. These challenges include limited health care resources, inadequate diagnostic tools, financial constraints on accessing disease-modifying therapies, and a lack of trained health care professionals (HCPs). Cultural stigma surrounding MS further complicates patient care and treatment adherence. However, ongoing efforts by patient organizations, international collaborations, and local HCPs are focused on raising awareness, enhancing diagnosis and treatment access, and training HCPs. Future directions include integrating MS into national health policies, expanding education and research initiatives, and improving patient support networks. These efforts are vital in addressing the growing burden of MS in Africa and ensuring equitable access to care.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.7224\/1537-2073.2024-080","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,4,15]],"date-time":"2025-04-15T01:20:36Z","timestamp":1744680036000},"page":"T13-T16","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Current Practices, Challenges, and Future Directions in Multiple Sclerosis Management in Sub-Saharan Africa"],"prefix":"10.7224","volume":"27","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0004-7389","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nicholas","family":"Aderinto","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"From the Internal Medicine Department, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Nigeria."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"4242","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,4,15]]},"reference":[{"key":"2025041501202928500_b1","unstructured":"European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis\n          . McDonald diagnostic criteria. Accessed December 18, 2024. https:\/\/ectrims.eu\/mcdonald-diagnostic-criteria"},{"key":"2025041501202928500_b2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1073278","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2023.1073278","article-title":"Global, regional, and national burden of multiple sclerosis from 1990 to 2019: findings of Global Burden of Disease study 2019","volume":"11","author":"Qian","year":"2023","journal-title":"Front Public Health"},{"issue":"5","key":"2025041501202928500_b3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1774","DOI":"10.1097\/MS9.0000000000000560","article-title":"Navigating the journey of multiple sclerosis management in Africa, overcoming hurdles and harnessing opportunities: a review","volume":"85","author":"Aderinto","year":"2023","journal-title":"Ann Med Surg (Lond)"},{"issue":"7994","key":"2025041501202928500_b4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"321","DOI":"10.1038\/s41586-023-06618-z","article-title":"Elevated genetic risk for multiple sclerosis emerged in steppe pastoralist populations","volume":"625","author":"Barrie","year":"2024","journal-title":"Nature"},{"issue":"12","key":"2025041501202928500_b5","article-title":"High-dose vitamin D supplementation in multiple sclerosis: a systematic review of clinical effects and future directions","volume":"1","author":"Aderinto","year":"2024","journal-title":"Discov Med"},{"issue":"4","key":"2025041501202928500_b6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e136","DOI":"10.1016\/S1470-2045(20)30751-8","article-title":"Medical imaging and nuclear medicine: a Lancet Oncology Commission","volume":"22","author":"Hricak","year":"2021","journal-title":"Lancet Oncol"},{"issue":"2","key":"2025041501202928500_b7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2251490","DOI":"10.1080\/07853890.2023.2251490","article-title":"The essential role of neuroimaging in diagnosing and managing cerebrovascular disease in Africa: a review","volume":"55","author":"Aderinto","year":"2023","journal-title":"Ann Med"},{"issue":"2","key":"2025041501202928500_b8","first-page":"20552173211022782","article-title":"Multiple sclerosis in Kenya: demographic and clinical characteristics of a registry cohort","volume":"7","author":"Jamal","year":"2021","journal-title":"Mult Scler J Exp Transl Clin"},{"issue":"1","key":"2025041501202928500_b9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"301","DOI":"10.1186\/s12883-022-02820-0","article-title":"Systematic literature review and meta-analysis of the prevalence of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis in the USA, Europe, Canada, Australia, and Brazil","volume":"22","author":"Vasanthaprasad","year":"2022","journal-title":"BMC Neurol"},{"key":"2025041501202928500_b10","unstructured":"Multiple Sclerosis South Africa. Accessed December 18, 2024. https:\/\/multiplesclerosis.co.za\/"},{"key":"2025041501202928500_b11","unstructured":"Atlas of\n              MS\n            \n          . Number of people with MS. Accessed December 18, 2024. https:\/\/www.atlasofms.org\/map\/global\/epidemiology\/number-of-people-with-ms"},{"key":"2025041501202928500_b12","unstructured":"Galal\n              S\n            \n          . Number of people living in rural areas in Africa. Statista. September11, 2024. Accessed December 18, 2024. https:\/\/www.statista.com\/statistik\/daten\/studie\/1491088\/umfrage\/number-of-people-living-in-rural-areas-in-africa\/"},{"key":"2025041501202928500_b13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"104959","DOI":"10.1016\/j.msard.2023.104959","article-title":"Barriers to accessing multiple sclerosis disease-modifying therapies in the Middle East and North Africa region: a regional survey-based study","volume":"79","author":"Zeineddine","year":"2023","journal-title":"Mult Scler Relat Disord"},{"key":"2025041501202928500_b14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"102885","DOI":"10.1016\/j.msard.2021.102885","article-title":"MS and disability progression in Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Middle East: a systematic review","volume":"51","author":"Bonomi","year":"2021","journal-title":"Mult Scler Relat Disord"},{"issue":"1","key":"2025041501202928500_b15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2249","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-023-28864-x","article-title":"Multiple sclerosis diagnostic delay and its associated factors in Upper Egyptian patients","volume":"13","author":"Khedr","year":"2023","journal-title":"Sci Rep"},{"key":"2025041501202928500_b16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"120119","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jns.2021.120119","article-title":"Why does Africa have the lowest number of neurologists and how to cover the gap?","volume":"434","author":"Kissani","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Neurol Sci"},{"issue":"164","key":"2025041501202928500_b17","article-title":"Meeting the neurology demand: the impact of early exposure and mentorship on African medical students","volume":"59","author":"Aderinto","year":"2023","journal-title":"Egypt J Neurol Psychiatry Neurosurg"},{"issue":"8","key":"2025041501202928500_b18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"803","DOI":"10.1007\/s40263-022-00939-9","article-title":"Efficacy and safety of multiple sclerosis drugs approved since 2018 and future developments","volume":"36","author":"Faissner","year":"2022","journal-title":"CNS Drugs"},{"issue":"7","key":"2025041501202928500_b19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"789","DOI":"10.1007\/s40273-021-01032-7","article-title":"Economic burden of multiple sclerosis in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review","volume":"39","author":"Dahham","year":"2021","journal-title":"Pharmacoeconomics"},{"issue":"1","key":"2025041501202928500_b20","first-page":"20552173211072274","article-title":"Defining routine fatigue care in multiple sclerosis in the United Kingdom: what treatments are offered and who gets them?","volume":"8","author":"Picariello","year":"2022","journal-title":"Mult Scler J Exp Transl Clin"},{"issue":"1","key":"2025041501202928500_b21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2021-049300","article-title":"Communication, Coordination, and Security for People with Multiple Sclerosis (COCOS-MS): a randomised phase II clinical trial protocol","volume":"12","author":"Golla","year":"2022","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"key":"2025041501202928500_b22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"105092","DOI":"10.1016\/j.msard.2023.105092","article-title":"Implementing shared decision-making for multiple sclerosis: the MS-SUPPORT tool","volume":"80","author":"Col","year":"2023","journal-title":"Mult Scler Relat Disord"}],"container-title":["International Journal of MS Care"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/meridian.allenpress.com\/ijmsc\/article-pdf\/27\/Theme\/T13\/3507365\/i1537-2073-27-t13.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"syndication"},{"URL":"https:\/\/meridian.allenpress.com\/ijmsc\/article-pdf\/27\/Theme\/T13\/3507365\/i1537-2073-27-t13.pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,17]],"date-time":"2025-07-17T21:13:01Z","timestamp":1752786781000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.ijmsc.org\/view\/current-practices-challenges-future-directions-multiple-sclerosis-management-sub-saharan-africa"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2024,12,1]]},"references-count":22,"journal-issue":{"issue":"Theme","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,4,15]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2024,12,1]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.7224\/1537-2073.2024-080","relation":{},"ISSN":["1537-2073"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1537-2073","type":"print"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2024,12,1]]}}}