Objective: To determine the inclusion of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) in African health policy, and treatment recommendations in available national policy documents.

Background: Neurological disorders are the leading cause of disability adjusted life years globally with 70% of individuals living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) [1]. Given the global increase in PD prevalence, including in Africa, developing national policies for PD and neurological disorders should be prioritised. The World Health Organization’s ‘Intersectoral global action plan for epilepsy and other neurological disorders’ 2022-2031 (IGAP) offers a blueprint for action [2], though it is unclear to what extent this has been implemented in national policy.

Method: Transforming Parkinson’s Care in Africa (TraPCAf) seeks to improve diagnosis, treatment and care for PD in Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Tanzania. A grey literature search of policy documents for these countries was undertaken of grey literature databases and government policy repositories. This is the first review evaluating PD in African health policy and an essential baseline to identify target areas to improve PD care.

Results: After title screening, 348 potentially relevant documents were identified but only 30 discussed PD or parkinsonism. The majority were Standard Treatment Guidelines (STGs) and National Essential Medicines Lists (EMLs). Nigeria, Tanzania and South Africa had dedicated chapters on PD, Egypt had no STG, whilst Ethiopia, Ghana and Kenya mentioned parkinsonism only in the context of complications of other conditions and medications. All seven countries had an available EML, the PD recommendations for which broadly aligned with the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines, but did not consistently align with STGs. Notably, many potentially relevant documents did not discuss PD despite its role as a significant contributor of disability.

Conclusion: Most of the selected countries lack standardised guidance for PD with misalignments between EMLs and STGs (practical tools for clinicians that simplify prescribing patterns) risking optimal care. Limited inclusion of PD in wider health policy demonstrates a lack of priority due to poor awareness of PD, competing priorities and a misperception that PD is rare. PD must be integrated into national health policies to improve care.

References: 1. Steinmetz, Jaimie D et al. Global, regional, and national burden of disorders affecting the nervous system, 1990–2021: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. Lancet Neurol 2024; 23: 344 – 381
2. World Health Organisation. Intersectoral global action plan on epilepsy and other neurological disorders [Internet]. Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240076624

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/parkinsons-disease-health-policy-in-7-african-countries-results-of-a-transforming-parkinsons-care-in-africa-trapcaf-review/