Epilepsy group seeks to enlist help to fight illness
The Epilepsy Foundation of Guyana (EFG) on Monday hosted a discussion with several stakeholders to enlist their help to raise awareness about the illness and available treatment.
The discussion coincided with the observance of International Epilepsy Day, under the theme ‘Putting Epilepsy in the Picture.’
Head of the EFG Thomas Singh told Stabroek News on Monday that the meeting was intended to gather all the relevant stakeholder agencies that are in constant contact with persons who are epileptic, so that they can find a way to work together to make it easier for them.
“So, we have invited people from a number of agencies including the Georgetown Public Hospital, the Pharmacy Association, and several interfaith persons so we can have discussions on stuff like the services that are being offered, the access to medication and other related aspects,” Singh said, while noting that the Foundation’s mission is to ensure that epileptics can get affordable, high quality care to treat the illness.
He said there is a need for a conversation among the stakeholders about issues such as the reliable, sustainable supply of good medication and ways they can tackle the ongoing stigma of the illness that drastically affects the patients.
“Another worrying thing about epilepsy is that a large portion of persons think it has to do with demonic possession and spirits and those are some of the things we will be talking about. That is why we have invited relevant persons from the religious fraternity,” he explained, while stating that another aim of the discussion was to “let everyone know who we are and how we could contribute to managing and treating epilepsy in Guyana.”
Asked about the organisation’s successes since its formation in 2014, Singh said it has made significant progress. “We’ve made significant progress even though it has been about particular individuals. Individuals, who were previously unmanageable. They were not working and they had no hope of working,” he noted.