Following an increase in the number of epileptic patients in Uganda study has shown that medicine given isn’t sufficient to help them control seizures.
According to Dr Mukiza Nelson a public specialist and a mental enthusiast says the medication may be available though the quantity aren’t enough to manage the increased number of patients.
However Epilepsy Support Association Uganda recently conducted a research last year in several referral hospitals in Jinnah, Budondo as well as Buwenge health centre IV regarding the sufficiency of the available anti epileptic drugs.
It’s however noted that the mentioned health facilities are among the top five with patients having epilepsy.
According to Dr Mukiza many of the health care providers who do not know how to manage epilepsy tend to procure the medicines and end up not knowing how to use them.
He explained further that Epilepsy is a neurological condition characterized by unprovoked seizures happening more than once in a space of 24 hours.
This is a disease that is prone to be stigmatized because the seizures come anywhere,most time unannounced and you can’t do anything about it.
Doctor Kutesa further explained more that Epilepsy can be inherited.
“ During pregnancy a mother may get illness that affects the child especially the growth of the nervous system and this leads to epilepsy.”
There are other cases that happen as a result of events that surround delivery,or birth related events as all these increase risk of getting epilepsy later in life.
However there are instances as someone is well perhaps in their 20’s and as they attain adult they develop seizures some thing the medics are yet to find out.
The number of people with epilepsy in Uganda so far is close to a million but the figure could be much higher according to Dr Kutesa.
