Report on Epilepsy | 22 Jun 2019

A report “Epilepsy, a public health imperative” has been released by the World Health Organization and leading non-governmental organizations for epilepsy, the International League Against Epilepsy and the International Bureau for Epilepsy.

• In low- and middle-income countries, early death among people with epilepsy is significantly higher than in high-income countries.
• More than 75 percent of people with epilepsy in low-income countries are at risk of premature death, due to lack of access to anti-seizure medicines.
  • The reasons include possible lack of access to health facilities when seizures are long-lasting or occur close together without recovery in between, and preventable causes such as drowning, head injuries and burns.
• The report states that the treatment gap for epilepsy is unacceptably high, when 70 percent of people with the condition can be seizure-free when they have access to medicines that can cost as little as $5 per year and can be delivered through primary health systems.
• Roughly half of adults with epilepsy have at least one other health condition. The most common are depression and anxiety.
  • Around 23 percent of adults with epilepsy will experience clinical depression during their lifetime and 20 per cent will have anxiety.
• Mental health conditions such as these can make seizures worse and reduce the quality of life.
  • Development and learning difficulties are experienced by 30-40 percent of children with epilepsy.
• Stigma also prevents people from taking treatment.
• The Report states that “political will” facilitates the integration of diagnosis and treatment for epilepsy into the primary health services.