KIMS Hospital organises Awareness Programme on International Epilepsy Day

 On the occasion of International Epilepsy day, Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) hospital, Secunderabad organized an Epilepsy Awareness programme at their hospital to educate patients and their caregivers. Over 200 patients and their families participated in the informativeprogramme to get a better understanding of the medical condition affecting them. Dr. Sita Jayalakshmi, Senior Consultant Neurologist, KIMS Hospitals, interacted with them and spoke to them about epilepsy, its symptoms, management and the requiredlifestyle changes. They also formed an Epilepsy support group – A non-profit group to create awareness about the disease.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Sita Jayalakshmi, Senior Consultant Neurologist, said that “For many people living with epilepsy, the misconceptions and discrimination can be more difficult to overcome than the seizures themselves. International Epilepsy Day seeks to raise awareness and educate the general public on the true facts about epilepsy and the urgent need for improved treatment, better care, and greater investment in research. All people with epilepsy should know the extent of treatment options to help control their seizures”.

Dr. Mohandas Surath, HOD – Neurology emphasized that “the more everyone talks about epilepsy, the less people living with the condition have to fear discrimination, worry about receiving improper first aid, or keep their epilepsy hidden in the shadows”.

Dr.ManasPanigrahi, Senior Consultant Neurosurgeon, KIMS hospitals, informed that only one in 1000 eligible patients undergoes epilepsy surgery in India. Dr.Panigrahi further added that “over the past 50 years, epilepsy surgery has become a well-established treatment for selected patients with drug-resistant epilepsy. Still, the practice of epilepsy surgery remains largely confined to developed countries. The option of epilepsy surgery is utilized by <1% of suitable patients in India compared with 66% of developed countries.  Dr. B. Bhaskar Rao, MD & CEO, KIMS Hospitals, told that “presently, only four centres other than KIMS Hospitals undertake epilepsy surgeries regularly in India and less than 500 epilepsy surgeries are performed annually. This has resulted in a growing pool of patients with drug resistant epilepsy, which account for the 80% of the health care costs for epilepsy”. Dr. Bhaskar Rao said that the “Epilepsy surgery program at KIMS Hospitals is the third-largest in the country and the results are as effective as advanced centres in Western world”.

During the event, Epilepsy Support Group, a voluntary, non-profit society was formed.  The support group consists of medical professionals and non-professionals, especially people with epilepsy and their care giver. The mission of the support group is “to create awareness in society for epilepsy”. The support group envisions “Creating an accommodating/integrative society for persons living with epilepsy”.

Dr. Sita Jayalakshmi informed that “The support group is essential for integration of pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies for persons with epilepsy”.

Marking the occasion, people with epilepsy across various age groups participated in painting, singing and other competitions. The event also was platform to parents and caregivers of people with epilepsy to share their stories and experiences.

About 65 million people around the world live with epilepsy; of which 12 Million are in India.Unfortunately, 8 out of 10 people with epilepsy in developing nations do not receive appropriate treatment. In addition, though Epilepsy is not necessarily a disqualifying disability for a normal life; but many misconceptions still persist even in the society. The efforts to bring back the persons with Epilepsy into the mainstream needs to be addressed holistically from Medical, Technological, Social and Regulatory angles.

What is International Epilepsy Day?

Started in 2015 and organized by the International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE) and the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), the day provides a platform for people with epilepsy to share their experiences and stories with a global audience. Despite being one of the world's oldest known medical conditions, public fear and misunderstanding about epilepsy persists, making many people reluctant to talk about it.