Rehabilitation and co-operation: the representatives of ten countries in Hungary
2011. április 17., vasárnap
An international professional conference was held in Pécs, Hungary in March for civilians with the participation of MS organizations from ten CEE countries. The event organized by the Foundation for Hungarian Patients With Multiple Sclerosis (Hungarian abbreviation MSMBA) aimed at serving as an opportunity for exchange of experience concerning the patient organizations’ work exercised for the MS patients of the region, sharing the plans and results achieved in the treatment and rehabilitation of MS patients, as well as presenting and discussing good practices.
In parallel with the conference entitled Past and Future - Conference in the Mirror of the European MS Movement and realized with the support of the Visegrad Fund there was also a neurological conference taking place in Pécs with the participation and active involvement of the most renowned experts of the world. The participants of the two events could have the opportunity to meet each other at a common social program organized at a traditional Hungarian ‘csarda’. The conference of the civilians was also furthered and supported by the Hungarian Government through the attendance of its representatives. The event attracted significant press interest: several media reported about the conference and the aims and objectives of MS patients.
The event was organized by the biggest Hungarian MS foundation that has done a lot in the past decade so that Hungarian patients could get access to the therapies necessary for the improvement of their life expectancy. It is the foundation that operates the one and only MS Rehabilitation Centre in Nyíregyháza specifically serving the needs of MS patients. The further improvement of this centre and making it suitable for accommodating the patients belong to the highest priorities of the civilians working for Hungarian MS patients.
The patient organizations have reported on the results and concerns related to rehabilitation in their countries. There is an important lesson to highlight: it does matter where a patient was born; there are huge differences as far as the accessibility of MS pharmaceutical therapy, rehabilitation and labour market related opportunities are concerned. For example, while in certain countries even the most basic pharmaceuticals or physiotherapeutic treatments are out of reach, elsewhere the treatment tries to deal with the mental and psychic care of the patients as well, and it is also a significant aspect to help improving even the patients’ quality of life.
At the conference the delegates of the European MS Platform were also present and introduced the comprehensive European MS data collection and analysis system to be launched in 2011, the structure of the EUReMS project and also the expected results. The event gave a good opportunity for the representatives of patient organizations and also the participating MS patients for an exchange of their professional views, as well as for strengthening international relations and co-operations.
Final conference program