World Parkinson Day : When The Hands Are Shaking…

Cameroon, yesterday April 11, 2023 joined the international community to observe the World Parkinson’s Day, to raise awareness about the condition of Parkinson. Parkinson, according to medics, is a medical condition whose cause is largely unknown to most people, and there is no cure. However, extensive research is ongoing in order to get people closer to a cure. Yesterday, some people moved around with the red tulip which signifies Parkinson’s disease awareness.
Dr Leonard Nfor, neurologist at the Yaounde Central Hospital, said what is well known is that Parkinson’s is a disorder that afflicts the nervous system, it hampers movement and is often characterised by tremors. April 11 is hence a day aimed at increasing awareness among people while helping those in need. Medically, Parkinson’s disease is a condition where a part of the brain deteriorates, causing more severe symptoms over time. While this condition is best known for how it affects muscle control, balance and movement, it can also cause a wide range of other effects on the senses, thinking ability, mental health and more. Experts say the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease naturally increases with age, and the average age at which it starts is 60 years. It’s slightly more common in men than in women. While Parkinson’s disease is usually age-related, medics say it can happen in adults as young as 20 (though this is extremely rare, and often people with a parent, full sibling or child with the same condition).
According to Dr Leonard Nfor, neurodegenerative diseases such as (Alzheimers and Parkinson’s diseases) account for 3.9 per cent of consultations in hospitals in the country. In Cameroon, he added, the most common of the neurodegenerative diseases is Alzheimers followed by Parkinson's disease which accounts for 0.38 per cent of all patients coming for consultations. The best-known symptoms of Par...