Makueni on track in reaching out to Epilepsy persons

Makueni,

Friday, December 1, 2023

KNA by Ronald Rono

Makueni county in collaboration with National Epilepsy Coordination Committee (NECC) has stepped up its efforts in treating and controlling epilepsy among affected persons in the county.

Health services Chief Officer Dr Stephen Ndolo said the Community Health Promoters (CHP) are able to screen, direct to health facilities where they are referred for specialised management at Makindu, Makueni and Mbooni sub county hospitals.

Dr Ndolo spoke on Thursday during the flagging off of Angaza Kifafa National Epilepsy Awareness campaign at Makueni county Referral hospital, Wote.

He said the county is committed to working together with partners and residents in ensuring that Makueni achieves the highest attainable healthcare.

“We will partner together with NECC and Bank of Africa in creating awareness, reaching out to them in the community and also referring to our hospitals for medical attention and treatment,” said Ndolo.

The county has a total of 3,625 CHP across the county and 50 of them have been trained where each of the six sub counties will have eight CHP who are able to screen and direct them to health facilities for diagnosis and management.

“People can get epilepsy from a brain injury, cancer of the brain, when a baby is born and there are complications that can have effects on the brain and others an established cause but with treatment the disorder can be controlled,” added Ndolo.

Epillose Musimbi from NECC said lack of awareness makes epilepsy a highly stigmatised brain disorder where most of the people affected are isolated yet the condition can be treated and controlled.

Musimbi said the awareness campaign seeks to inform the public that epilepsy is brain disorder and it is not a curse, ignorance, witchcraft nor demon possession, and the disorder can be treated and controlled.

“In Kenya, available data show that 2 out of every 100 people live with epilepsy, which are approximately 1.5 million Kenyans affected, where only 30% seek treatment and therefore there is a big gap of 70% with epilepsy not knowing where to seek medication,” noted Musimbi.

“Out of the 30% who seek treatment, around 15% make it regularly to the doctors for treatment while others discontinue along the way due to accessibility, availability, affordability of the medical drugs and or misinformation whereby they combine medical help with alternative treatment,” she added.

The Vice Secretary of NECC Fred Kiserem said persons living with epilepsy are prone to be fired or losing jobs, discrimination by family members, friends and community. 

“My girlfriend dumped me immediately when I told her I have epilepsy because she taught, I may pass the genes to the baby and I thank my Mother for taking care of me until I got married and we are living active life,” said Kiserem. 

He urged the members of the family, friends and the community to be close to persons with epilepsy saying the disorder is treatable and can live an active life.

Currently the Angaza Kifafa awareness campaign has covered 19 counties including Makueni and seeks to reach out to all 47 counties.

Courtesy; KNA