By Jenifer James
The deputy director of mental health at the National Ministry of Health, Dr. Rita Albino Akol, said epilepsy is a common brain disorder and one of the neurological disorders that affect men, women, and children at all ages.
She was speaking during the commemoration of the international Epilepsy Day on Monday.
According to Rita, there is a need to create awareness for the families, individuals, and schools on the disease.
‘’We need all of us to use our knowledge and to empower every individual with epilepsy and to fight the stigma because epilepsy is like any disease; it can be treated,’’ Rita said.
Meanwhile, the founder of the Initiative for Epilepsy Awareness, Kur Ezekiel, emphasised the global significance of the event, which is organised by the International Bureau of Epilepsy and the International League Against Epilepsy.
Ezekiel said, Epilepsy is a condition that is masked with a lot of stigmatisation, discrimination, and also inclusion gaps and treatment gaps as well, so epilepsy is a neurological condition that affects approximately 50 million people globally.
‘’It is estimated that 1 out of 100 South Sudanese live with epilepsy; that is approximately 120,000 South Sudanese who suffer from this condition, so in terms of consultation, epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders that many South Sudanese seek in our mental health clinics,’’ Ezekiel said.
International Epilepsy Day is a global event celebrated annually on the 2nd Monday of February. It is a joint initiative created by the International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE) and the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) to promote awareness of epilepsy worldwide. On this day, people come together to highlight the challenges faced by individuals with epilepsy, their families, and carers.