Players in the health sector are calling for increased awareness of lupus among Jamaicans, which can lead to early detection and proper treatment of the disease.

Their views come as Jamaica joins other countries globally to observe World Lupus Day on Tuesday under the theme, ‘Lupus Level Up: Make Lupus Visible’.

Lupus is a condition in which the immune system attacks the body accidentally causing inflammation and damage to organs.

An estimated five million people worldwide are living with lupus. In fact, Jamaica is considered to have a high prevalence of the disease, with an estimated 6,000 people affected.

“There is need for greater awareness and understanding as well as education and service to those people living with the disease,” said state minister in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn, speaking at the World Lupus Day Ceremony held at the Emancipation Park in Kingston on Tuesday.

At the same time, president-elect of the Medical Association of Jamaica (MAJ) Leslie Meade agreed. He said lupus has the potential to affect people regardless of their socio-economic background.

“Promoting awareness hopefully will lead to early detection and compliance with treatment which are keys to allowing those who are diagnosed with lupus to live a full and productive life. The MAJ pledges its support in the fight against lupus and stands ready to advocate alongside Lupus Foundation of Jamaica for greater resources for lupus as we strive to improve the lives and outcomes of persons who are affected with lupus,” he said.

President of the Lupus Foundation of Jamaica Dr Desiree Tulloch-Reid stressed that people living with lupus endure a lot of challenges.

“Lupus patients really cope with many things, they deal with debilitating symptoms from treatment, they deal with a high cost of health care, disruption of their lives – bearing in mind that this condition may strike at the peak of their productive lives and they may sometimes may be coping with a condition that may be poorly understood by others,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

“All these considerations feed into what we do at the Lupus Foundation. We are here to build awareness about lupus because as we like to say, knowledge about lupus saves lives, early diagnosis, better access to care, the ability to be empowered in managing your care makes a big difference in the outcomes and the support,” she said.

According to the Lupus Foundation of Jamaica website, symptoms of lupus include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, hair loss, swollen glands and aches and pain.