A new campaign in Bahrain aims to raise awareness and understanding about autoimmune diseases.
Students from Arabian Gulf University’s (AGU) College of Medicine and Health Sciences have launched the drive, under the theme ‘Fight Autoimmune Diseases with Us’, to mark Autoimmune Awareness Month, observed in March.
The event, which was attended by Health Ministry Under-Secretary Dr Lulwa Showaiter, faculty members and guests, at Al Liwan in Hamala, featured several stations run by specialised doctors explaining how autoimmune conditions affect people.
They discussed the symptoms and preventative methods, as well as the latest treatments available in the field.
“Autoimmune diseases are health conditions that happen when your body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own healthy cells and tissues, leading to inflammation and damage to various organs,” AGU student affairs dean Dr Aseel Al Saleh said.
“Some prominent autoimmune diseases include lupus, multiple sclerosis, Type 1 diabetes, Crohn’s disease, and many others classified as autoimmune disorders.
“The campaign aims to provide valuable information on how to diagnose these diseases at early stages, significantly improving treatment outcomes.”
There are more than 80 types of autoimmune diseases that affect a wide range of body parts. Despite the varying types, many of them share similar symptoms, including fatigue, joint pain and swelling, skin problems, abdominal pain or digestive issues, recurring fever and swollen glands.
An Oxford University study of 22 million people found autoimmune disorders affected around one in 10 individuals, with 13 per cent of women and 7pc of men suffering from its impact. Researchers suggest such variations are unlikely to be attributable to genetic differences alone, and may point to the involvement of potentially modifiable risk factors such as smoking, obesity, or stress that contribute to the development of some autoimmune diseases.
Dr Al Saleh stressed the importance of campaigns in increasing awareness among community members, particularly in the Gulf region, ‘where there is a rising incidence of certain autoimmune conditions’.
“It is great to see the students organise this campaign as autoimmune diseases pose significant health challenges in the region, necessitating collaborative efforts to promote awareness and prevent diseases,” she added.
Student committee chair and medical student Noora Al Hadi believes students hold responsibility to raise community awareness about such diseases, which may initially be invisible but can have serious consequences if not diagnosed and treated in a timely manner.
“Through this campaign, we strive to shed light on autoimmune disorders and emphasise the importance of early prevention and treatment, thereby enhancing health awareness in the community.”
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