Kathmandu, March 20:

Muscular dystrophy (MD) is a chronic physical problem that weakens human muscles and the body. Patients’ body movement and life span can be improved by physiotherapy, but lack of knowledge about the disease can make it more critical.

“The dangerous problem with this disease is that people are unaware about it and not getting proper medication, thus shortening their own life span,” said Bimal Basukala, a physiotherapist, who usually treats muscular dystrophy patients in Kathmandu. According to him, there is no medicine to cure the disease, but proper medical supervision and physiotherapy could make a patient’s life easier.

Ramesh Shrestha, 26, and Dipesh Shrestha, 24, of Panauti are brothers who showed muscular dystrophy symptoms 12 years ago. They were diagnosed to have had Becker MD, but they did not go for any treatment. It limited their physical movement and made them totally dependent.

“There is no official data about people living with MD, but the prevalence could be high in Nepal,” assumed Sobha Rai, chairperson of the Nepal Matri Griha that provides physiotherapy to differently able people.

Dr Krishna Poudel, an orthopaedic surgeon at the Bir Hospital, said that the disease is common in Nepal, but most of the people lack understanding of the disease that has made the disease critical.