Living with Epilepsy in Africa
There are over ten million people living with epilepsy in Africa, and 80% of them do not receive treatment with easily accessible contemporary medications. Accessibility is a major issue because of the area’s size and lack of medical services. Cheap medications like phenobarbital are frequently in short supply due to poverty, a lack of human resources, and the stigma associated with epilepsy discourages people from seeking medical care for their condition.
What is Epilepsy?
Epilepsy is one of the most prevalent and serious brain disorders in the world. It is characterized by unpredictable recurrent seizures and affects people of all ages. Over 50 million people worldwide suffer from epilepsy, with children, adolescents, and the elderly being particularly affected.
Key facts
- All ages are affected by the chronic, noncommunicable brain disease known as epilepsy.
- Epilepsy affects about 50 million people worldwide, making it one of the most prevalent neurological conditions worldwide.
- People with epilepsy make up nearly 80% of the population in low- and middle-income nations.
- 70% of epilepsy sufferers could avoid seizures if their condition was properly identified and treated.
- Up to three times as likely as the general population, epilepsy patients are at risk of dying before their time.
- In low-income countries, 75% of epilepsy patients do not receive the necessary care.
- People with epilepsy and their families encounter stigma and discrimination in many parts of the world.
Epilepsy in Africa
Epilepsy is one of the most prevalent serious neurological conditions, which is especially prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa. At least 25% of the time, this high incidence can be attributed to avoidable factors, but many people who may have had seizures go undiagnosed, and even fewer receive the right care. These issues are made worse by the ongoing social stigma that makes it challenging for Africans with epilepsy to find work, develop relationships, or feel appreciated.
In Africa, prevalence rates range from 2.2 to 58 per 1,000, with poor perinatal care, head trauma, and intracranial infection as the main risk factors. Epilepsy has sociological and cultural aspects in addition to its medical aspects. More than 24% of the world’s adult illiterates live in Africa. Therefore, it is typical for people in many African nations to believe that epilepsy is a result of a supernatural force.
As a result, many of these patients and their families first seek the advice of traditional healers and adhere to their suggestions for a considerable amount of time. Epilepsy can have an impact on patients and their family’s physical, psychological, and social functioning due to the high rate of illiteracy, a lack of resources in the health system, and a low doctor-to-population ratio.
Conclusion
In Africa, there are over 10 million epileptics, the majority of whom lack access to effective care. The prevalence, morbidity, and mortality rates associated with epilepsy are high in Sub-Saharan African nations due to a lack of facilities, diagnostic tools, medications, and properly trained personnel.