Living with multiple sclerosis in the UAE: Finding strength through collaboration and care

Multiple sclerosis (MS) can be life-altering, but today’s advances in treatment, early diagnosis, and community support mean that people with MS can lead full, active lives. In the UAE, a new initiative is now taking this one step further, through collaboration at a national scale.

Dr Rajit Pillai, Specialist Neurology at Aster Clinic, King Faisal Road (Sharjah), explains what exactly it is. It's a chronic neurological condition where the immune system mistakenly attacks the protective covering of nerve fibres in the central nervous system. This disrupts communication between the brain and body, leading to a variety of symptoms.

MS affects individuals differently. Fatigue, vision changes, numbness, difficulty with balance, and muscle weakness are common, with symptoms that may come and go or progress over time. Dr Pillai adds: “Importantly, many people with MS continue to lead full, active lives with the right care and lifestyle adjustments.”

MS manifests in several stages:

While MS presents challenges, today’s therapies focus on managing symptoms, reducing relapses, and slowing disease progression. A balanced lifestyle, with regular exercise, good nutrition, stress management, and a strong support system, can help well-being as Dr Pillai emphasises.

As the 2017 study published in Lancet showed: Syptoms vary widely. no two experiences are the same. Fatigue, clumsiness, muscle stiffness, spasms, and balance issues are common, but their intensity and duration can fluctuate, making daily life unpredictable.

Gulf News had earlier spoken to Mariam Al Qubaisi, who was diagnosed 12 years ago, she felt the loneliness that comes with the condition. “Few people knew what multiple sclerosis was. It felt isolating and lonely,” she recalls.  The loneliness has ebbed, since the launch of the MS Society in the UAE, as Mariam found a deep sense of belonging, strength, and calm in knowing others truly understand.

Mariam’s message to those living with MS is clear: “Prioritise your mental health because when you’re mentally strong and happy, there’s nothing you can’t do. MS is a challenging disease, but it doesn’t have to define your life. Enjoy each moment, and remember: you only have one life, so live it fully with MS or not.” Her advice underlines the importance of learning what works for each person’s unique journey: “With the right information and a willingness to learn what works for you, it becomes a journey of adjustment. Once you find your rhythm, everything becomes more manageable.”

Mariam’s journey highlights an essential truth: while individual mental strength is crucial, the broader support network can be just as transformative. This idea of collective empowerment is where collaboration comes into play.

Maral Alexandrian, Acting Executive Director of the National MS Society, reflects on a broader principle: “We often think of innovation in healthcare as new treatments, technologies, or data. But sometimes, the real breakthrough is in how we work together.”

Complex health challenges, especially those that touch medicine, policy, public awareness, and daily life, cannot be solved by a single player. Here, coalitions provide a model for lasting impact:

“A coalition is more than a partnership. It’s a long-term, structured network that brings together diverse actors, governments, care providers, insurers, researchers, civil society, and the private sector, around a shared mission. When designed well, coalitions transform how health challenges are understood, addressed, and sustained over time.”

Alexandrian points to examples from around the world: the Gavi Alliance expanded access to life-saving vaccines in low-income countries; the Coalition for Women’s Health in Africa improved outcomes in maternal and non-communicable disease care; and the NCD Alliance unites stakeholders worldwide to strengthen responses to non-communicable diseases.

“Coalitions are especially powerful when tackling issues that sit at the intersection of healthcare and lived experience, where the barriers are not only medical but also social, structural, and economic. That includes conditions like multiple sclerosis (MS),” she says.

Recognising gaps in support and coordination for people living with MS, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) launched the UAE’s first National Coalition for MS in early 2025. The coalition unites stakeholders across the healthcare ecosystem to reimagine how MS is understood, treated, and supported.

Alexandrian explains the coalition’s role: “The National Coalition for MS is not a program; rather, it is a platform for alignment. Its members, ranging from government entities and academic institutions to healthcare providers and pharmaceutical companies, jointly co-develop initiatives that reflect both national health priorities and their respective mandates.”

The coalition operates on a resource mobilisation model: Members contribute expertise, time, or direct investment into initiatives that align with their remit. This allows for swift delivery while reflecting the UAE’s regulatory and philanthropic landscape.

Coalition-building is not without hurdles: time, trust, and willingness to navigate differences in mandate, sector, and approach are required. Yet this is its greatest strength. “The most effective coalitions are built not on uniformity, but on a shared commitment to purpose, where diverse partners stay at the table because they agree on what matters most,” Alexandrian says.

The UAE’s National Coalition for MS aligns with the nation’s broader ambition to lead in inclusive, forward-thinking healthcare, offering a blueprint for cross-sector collaboration in tackling complex conditions.

As she explains, such coalitions offer something rare: a practical model with transformative potential. "They ask us to think beyond programs and start building the systems that hold them. And through the MS Coalition—the cross-sector collaboration it represents, we hope to drive meaningful health outcomes, not just for one condition, but as a blueprint for what thoughtful, collective action can look like,” Alexandrian concludes.