Dow Medical University team examined 700 persons at a camp in Mithi of whom 200 were found suffering from epileptic seizures
By GR Junejo
Mithi: A large number of people are suffering from epilepsy in desert district Tharparkar as 200 people were detected suffering from epileptic seizures out of 700 patients examined in a single day during a free one-day health treatment camp was organized by the Neurology Department of Dow Medical University Karachi in Mithi on Sunday.
The free treatment camp for epileptic patients was organized in connection with World Epilepsy Day observed every year on February 8.
A 12-member team of doctors consisting of Dr. Sumera Rafat, Dr. Jai Singh Rajput, Dr. Wajid, Dr. Mohsina Syed and others examined seven hundred epileptic persons and provided free medicines to them.
The patients were also conducted different neurological tests to ascertain their disease.
Dr. Jai Singh Rajput, Dr. Imran Sarwar Shaikh and Dr. Sumera while talking to newsmen told that all the neurological ailments including epilepsy are treatable.
They suggested that the government should launch awareness campaigns regarding these ailments and the health department should organize epilepsy treatment camps at its health centers across the Tharparkar district every month for treatment of epilepsy and other neurological ailments. “By holding such camps, the government can arrest the suicidal trends prevailing among the people of Thar Desert,” they said.
The doctors opined that the poor people of this district have no access to treatment facilities and being uneducated and superstitious, use to visit the so-called faith-healers for treatment that further aggravates their condition. “As such practices do not bear any result, the people find no way but to commit suicide out of depression, which is in fact a very painful for their families and even the entire society,” they said.
The doctors said they examined 700 people of which 200 were found suffering from epileptic seizures which shows gravity of the situation.
Epilepsy is a central nervous system (neurological) disorder in which brain activity becomes abnormal, causing seizures or periods of unusual behavior, sensations, and sometimes loss of awareness. Anyone can develop epilepsy.
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