The Multiple Sclerosis Association of Serbia was founded in 1974 and is the umbrella organization of 17 MS associations from the whole country. The Association represents their interests at the national level and works towards achieving its goals, provision of high quality and equal treatment as well as assistance to people with MS throughout Serbia.
On the initiative of a group of persons affected by MS, with the support of prof. Dr. Zvonimir Levic, neurologist at the University Clinical Centre of Serbia, and Sylvia Lawry (founder of the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation), the Multiple Sclerosis Association of Serbia was set up. The Association actively operates and works all these years, perfecting and adjusting its general and specific goals to the specific needs of persons affected by MS. Today, the office of its president is discharged by Jasmina Brajkovic.
Association’s scope of work includes social protection, health care, non-institutional care/support and education, and its vision includes the exchange and dissemination of information related to multiple sclerosis, bearing in mind all relevant issues for people affected by MS; promoting the development of joint action programs, with the participation of MS regional associations in Serbia, aimed at improving the quality of their activities and services; actions involving conducting of studies and proposing measures aimed at enhancing the autonomy of people with multiple sclerosis and promoting their full participation in society, and encouraging all types of MS researches, at recognized medical and other organizations.
The key activities carried out by the Association with the support of the Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs – Department for the Protection of Persons with Disabilities include the organization of seminars, workshops, meetings, research and publishing activities aiming to achieve the objectives outlined in the Association’s vision.
The most notable result of the Association is the establishment of the “Psychosocial Counselling Centre”, which will mark its 20th anniversary in 2023, and which delivered services to about 6,000 users, including both those affected by MS and their family members. Another notable result of the Association is the achievement of the “gold standard” in the treatment of people suffering from multiple sclerosis.
The Association managed to appoint its representative in the Commission for the allocation of medicines for MS patients, which operates as part of the National Health Insurance Fund.
It is estimated that there are about 9,000 people suffering from MS in Serbia, and the Association’s database includes over 50% of the total number of those registered. Education is one of the crucial factors that affects the quality of life of persons affected by MS, and the Association has been implementing an educational program for years, which includes lectures, workshops, seminars, and printed materials, while all online lectures delivered during the COVID-19 epidemic are available on the YouTube channel.
The last undertaking and a large project implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, integrated all areas of the Association’s activities, but also moved the boundaries of the work of an organization. This involves development of a mobile application named “My MS World”, which provides all relevant information about the disease, relevant legislation, but also many other things that are of crucial importance for those affected by MS and those who take care of them.
Almost all organizations networked in the Association organize creative workshops where great products are produced, but more importantly, they serve the purpose to gather together and empower people affected by MS.
The Multiple Sclerosis Association of Serbia is a full member of the European Multiple Sclerosis Platform (EMSP).
