India facing hidden epidemic of epilepsy: AIIMS doctor

New Delhi: Dr. Sarat Chandra, Professor of Neurosurgery at AIIMS Delhi, estimates that India alone has 15 million or more cases of epilepsy, no less than a hidden epidemic.

He underlined that epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders that affects more than 65 million people worldwide. People with epilepsy experience discrimination and harassment in education, employment, and marriage due to this lack of awareness, he added.

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Dr. Manjari Tripathi, Neurology Professor at AIIMS, said that epilepsy is not just a medical problem but a social problem too.

She said that despite such a high prevalence, the awareness about epilepsy in India is very low. Due to the lack of awareness, several persons diagnosed with epilepsy feel dejected and defeated, she added.

Ekatwam president Dr. Tripathi said, "We just don't need people to make emphatic towards persons with epilepsy but also help them to take a step closer towards empowering them to lead a near normal life."

The lack of public awareness of epilepsy is one of the reasons for the wide treatment gap of this common disease in India, according to Dr. Chandra.

Around two lakhs more victims of epilepsy are being added every year in national data, said he, adding that there is no large-scale study of epilepsy in India. He said that we are more or less dependent on the world's data to understand India's position in epilepsy.

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