Ahead of next week’s Post-polio Syndrome Day, North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has called on the Welsh Government to help raise awareness of the condition and to provide better support for those with the syndrome living in remote areas.
Speaking in yesterday’s Business Statement in the Assembly Chamber, Mr Isherwood called for a Welsh Government Statement on Post-Polio Syndrome, highlighting the need for improved awareness, with only 7% of people surveyed recognizing the syndrome.
He said:
“I call for a Statement on Post-polio Syndrome ahead of Post-polio Syndrome Day next Monday, 22 October. It was launched in 2013 to raise awareness of post-polio syndrome amongst the general public, and the date, 22 October, was chosen to be close to the official World Polio Day, marked on 24 October by Rotary's ‘End Polio Now’ campaign.
“People in remote regions with the syndrome can be particularly hard to reach. There have been outreach initiates in Scotland and south-west England and, clearly, there will be people with the syndrome in remote parts of Wales, who are also living isolated lives, who need to be reached.
“This is recognised as a neurological condition. Up to 80 per cent of those who have had Polio will go on to develop the syndrome after several years, with increasing weakness, fatigue, pain, swallowing problems, cold intolerance and much else. There is no specific cure, but properly managed, it can be stabilised, progress slowed, cost on the NHS reduced and the quality of life of the individuals affected improved.
“In a survey by YouGov a couple of years ago, 86 per cent of people recognised Parkinson's, Alzheimer’s and Epilepsy, but only 7 per cent recognized the Syndrome.
“The British Polio Fellowship is calling on parliamentarians across the UK to help develop that awareness across the population, particularly in the context of the needs of the population affected. I call for a Statement on that.”
Mr Isherwood added: “It is estimated that 12,000 people who had Polio are in Wales – and many more who never knew they had it. The British Polio Fellowship seeks to raise awareness amongst parliamentarians of all Parties in all the UK Parliaments, including the Welsh Assembly, and to highlight how we can help people with Post-Polio Syndrome live full, integrated and independent lives.”