Karachi Pakistan – marks Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Awareness Day. To raise awareness about MS, the Arts Council of Karachi inaugurated the MS Art Gallery supported by Roche Pakistan Limited where
artists from different walks of life depicted the symptoms of MS through art.
The MS Art Gallery was inaugurated by Ahmed Shah, President Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi
along with Dr Yasir Adnan, Head of Medical, Roche Pakistan Limited and Adam Rathor, Vice
Chairman Daram Committee.
A range of nine oil canvases captured the challenges both physical and emotional of those
suffering from MS. This is the first initiative of its kind in Pakistan to raise awareness about a
rare disease through art.
Addressing the audience Ahmed Shah talked about the need to build awareness around
diseases, especially rare diseases. And how the health sector in Pakistan faced so many
challenges. He appreciated Roche Pakistan’s initiative in using art as a vehicle to raise
awareness about Multiple Sclerosis.
Dr Yasir Adnan briefed the audience about the symptoms and challenges faced by sufferers of
MS and is commonly diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40. He explained that multiple
sclerosis is a disease of the central nervous system, which includes the brain and spinal cord. It
is one disease, but its course and symptoms vary from person to person. MS is a leading cause
of non-traumatic disability for young people and up to 90% of people with MS experience
fatigue while MS sufferers also experience vision difficulties and sleep problems as well as
depression. Within 15 years of onset, more than 50% of people with MS have difficulty walking.
Adam Rathor, Vice Chairman, Drama Committee of the Arts Council expressed his views around
the challenges to raise awareness about this critical disease, especially since very few people in
Pakistan know about it and art as a form of awareness.
