Comprehensive management of epilepsy in onchocerciasis-endemic areas: lessons learnt from community-based surveys.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Onchocerciasis-endemic regions are known to have a high epilepsy prevalence. Limited resources in these areas and poor access to healthcare by persons with epilepsy (PWE) result in a wide anti-epileptic treatment gap, poor seizure control and a high burden of seizure-related complications. Recent community-based surveys highlight the need for epilepsy management strategies suitable for remote onchocerciasis-endemic villages to ensure better health outcomes for PWE. In this paper, we propose a feasible approach to manage PWE in such settings.

Main text

Improved management of PWE in onchocerciasis-endemic areas may be achieved by decentralizing epilepsy care. Simplified approaches for the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy may be used by non-physicians, under the s

SUBMITTER: Siewe Fodjo JN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6368958 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature