ISLAMABAD: Leading emergency medicine experts at a session have called for introduction of emergency alert cards for patients suffering from Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), warning that even minor mismanagement in emergency care can prove fatal for these fragile patients.
The session on “Acute Assessment and Management of Patients with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)” was held in Islamabad on Saturday.
The session was organised by the Strive Eradication of Disability Foundation in collaboration with cHALO (Collaborative Hubs of Academic Learning in Emergency Medicine), a programme working to enhance emergency care standards across South Asia.
Consultant in Emergency Medicine (UK) and International Faculty Member for the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM), who has been conducting trainings in Pakistan on emerging field of emergency medicine, noted that most emergency doctors were not trained or equipped to handle the delicate conditions of SMA patients.
He recommended that alert cards—containing key “dos and don’ts” for emergency management—should be issued to all SMA patients to help doctors avoid life-threatening mistakes.
“Even small errors in treatment can lead to catastrophic outcomes. These alert cards can serve as life-saving tools for both patients and doctors,” Dr Ijaz said.
Clinical Lead of the Emergency Department at Rawalpindi Medical College Dr Maryam Tariq highlighted the global and local burden of SMA.
“Globally, about 1 in 10,000 infants is affected by SMA, with 10,000 to 25,000 people currently living with the condition in the United States,” she added.
While no national data exists for Pakistan, Dr Tariq said the prevalence was believed to be high due to consanguineous marriages. Citing research from Aga Khan University, she noted that SMA often went undiagnosed in Pakistan.
Dr Waseemur Rahman, Associate Consultant of Pediatric Neurology at Shifa International Hospital, shared developments in SMA treatment.
He said that SMA Type 1 children, who previously could not survive beyond infancy, were now showing significant improvement — some even able to sit independently — due to the availability of new oral medications.
Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2025
