AMARE Urges Andorra for Fibromyalgia Care Pathway
Association calls on government and SAAS to train specialists, create post-diagnosis referrals, and improve support amid ongoing gaps in patient.
Key Points
- AMARE demands clear care pathway post-diagnosis to avoid erratic referrals and foreign treatment.
- Gaps persist in specialist training for fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, and central sensitisation.
- Positive steps: SAAS workshops by specialist nurses, but info not reaching all facilities.
- Association supports 70 members with yoga, aquagym, crafts; plans talks with health authorities.
The Association of Rheumatic, Fibromyalgia, and Chronic Fatigue Patients (AMARE) has called for better support for fibromyalgia sufferers in Andorra, urging the creation of a clear care pathway to guide patients after diagnosis.
AMARE president Albertina Baiao and vice-president Lídia Leal told *El Periòdic* that while the condition is officially recognised, significant gaps remain in specialist training and patient information. Fibromyalgia causes widespread, persistent muscle pain, heightened sensitivity at specific points, and symptoms like mental fog that impairs memory and concentration.
The association highlighted how the illness was long misunderstood, with patients often referred to psychiatry. Institutional recognition has reduced stigma, but it has not addressed what happens post-diagnosis, leaving many feeling lost.
AMARE is pressing the government and Andorra's public health service (SAAS) to train more professionals in fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, and central sensitisation—a nervous system dysfunction that intensifies pain perception. They specifically want a rheumatologist and neurologist with expertise in these areas.
The group also seeks a formal referral channel from primary care doctors to prevent erratic journeys that frequently lead patients to seek treatment abroad, such as in Barcelona.
Positive steps include workshops run by two SAAS-linked specialist nurses, which help patients understand the condition and manage daily life. However, AMARE noted that information on these reaches some health centres and pharmacies but not all medical facilities, so many learn about them too late.
"When you're diagnosed, some people feel lost and don't know what to do," Baiao and Leal said.
AMARE, which has resumed activity after a quiet period, now opens to the public on Mondays. It offers support for around 70 members—for an annual fee of €25—alongside adapted yoga, aquagym, and craft workshops. Board members manage operations slowly due to their own health challenges.
Looking ahead, the association plans to meet health authorities soon to push for greater visibility of resources, more specialists, and a structured care pathway that turns diagnosis into the start of supported treatment.
Original Sources
This article was aggregated from the following Catalan-language sources: