The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Varsity to start Diploma in Epilepsy Care

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 25, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Varsity to start Diploma in Epilepsy Care

Vidyashree Amaresh

The one-year course likely to be introduced in July next

Bangalore: Indian Epilepsy Association, in association with the Bangalore University, has planned to start the Diploma in Epilepsy Care course.

First of its kind in India, the course aims at training an individual to impart knowledge and skills to deal with patients with epilepsy. Association general secretary H.V. Srinivisan told The Hindu that the duration of the course is one year starting from July next.

A common neurological disorder, about 40 million in the world have epilepsy and in India there are about 60 to 80 lakh people with epilepsy.

Fortunately, with the available anti-epileptic drugs and the knowledge obtained from the neuro epidemiological studies, seizures can be controlled in 75 per cent of patients.

But unfortunately the message that epilepsy is treatable and the patients are normal to pursue their life goals is yet to reach the population.

"Medication is only a part when it comes to managing people with epilepsy. The other important aspects are the patient's career, education, counselling regarding education, job, insurance, licence to drive, marriage, sex and delivery. There is a need for professionally trained personnel to meet these requirements," he said.

The social consequences of epilepsy are often more difficult to overcome than the seizures themselves - more so in developing countries. In some rural areas in India, for instance, attempts are made to exorcise evil spirits from people with epilepsy by tying them to trees, beating them, cutting a portion of hair from their head, squeezing lemon on their head and making them to starve.

India does not have a national policy commitment towards better management of epilepsy.

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