New disease fast spreading in SriLanka

The number of patients detected with a large number of tumors both externally and internally known as 'neurofibromatosis' is increasing rapidly, according to plastic surgeon Dr. Dulip Perera.

He alleged that the health units have not taken any measures so far to conduct a survey of the number of patients island-wide having this disease or implement a mechanism to minimize these cases.

Dr. Perera noted that the health authorities don’t even know how many patients with this disease exist in this country.

He said that greater awareness is required regarding this disease even more than Thalassemia, adding that unlike Thalassemia if either both or even one parent has neurofibromatosis all children will invariably be infected.

He pointed out that this is a neurological disease in which the nerves become knotted and enlarged, and there may be lumps that can be removed as well as lumps that cannot be removed.

Dr. Perera noted that these lumps can form on any of the internal organs as well.

He said that although the symptoms of the disease, which is passed down from generation to generation through the genes, do not appear in children at a young age, but they do develop symptoms as they grow older.

Specialist Dr. Duleep Perera said that such young people should not have children after marriage and that this would lead to an increase in the number of patients. Hence, he noted that doctors should advise such couples not to have children.