Bengaluru, 21 November 2021 : On the occasion of National Epilepsy Day – 17th November, Sakra World Hospital, announced the initialization of Phase-2 of the EPIC (Epilepsy Prevention & Integrated Care) Program. This program is initiated in association with Rotary International and First Meridian. This year-long program aimed to provide quality treatment and education about Epilepsy for PWE (People with Epilepsy) for free.

The EPIC program is India’s first distinctive initiative to focus on Refractory epilepsy (uncontrolled epilepsy), specially dedicated for epilepsy patients who fall under the category of Below Poverty Level (BPL). This initiative was inaugurated by then Honourable Chief Minister of Karnataka Mr. C M Yediyurappa in September 2020. The progress till date has been tremendous, more than 500 epilepsy patients hailing from different parts of the state have undertaken treatment. Out of the 500 patients, for the first time in Karnataka, 20 patients with refractory epilepsy underwent complex epilepsy surgeries including robotics surgeries, free of cost in a private hospital setup under EPIC program. In addition, 2 patients underwent Robotic assisted hemispherotomy for the first time in the State of Karnataka. 

Dr. Satish Rudrappa, Director of Neurosciences said: “India has over 12 million people suffering from Epilepsy with an overall prevalence of 3.0-11.9 per 1000 population. There is a treatment gap that is prevalent where 75% of the patients fail to receive the necessary treatment due to poor patient workup and follow up at Primary Health Centre’s(PHC), poor family & education, lack of school health programs, and thus, early identification. In order to eradicate this, Sakra World Hospital, with their EPIC Program has taken an optimistic step forward to enable various medical & surgical treatment under supervision for all the epilepsy patients.”

In order to create a systematic sole platform for PWE, Rotary Bangalore IT Corridor (RBITC) has launched a mobile application based on EPIC Program known as the EPILEPSY-Rotary App, developed by First Meridian under their CSR program across the state of Karnataka to help the needy. This app will be available in both Kannada and English for all the Android and iOS Users.

The agenda of the program lies in educating people about identification of the disease with the help of distinguished education programs conducted by experienced school teachers and caretakers said Mr. Sudhakar Balakrishnan, Group CEO of First Meridian. The team has also decided to launch free epilepsy camps at various parts of Karnataka in association with local Rotary Clubs following the main objective of this program which is creating awareness in the community to remove the stigma attached to epilepsy.

Speaking about the EPIC Program, Dr Shivakumar, Senior Consultant – Neurology & Epileptology said, “Epilepsy is a treatable illness and in order to cure or control epilepsy among the prevalent, it is necessary to provide them with the right education and treatments at an affordable price. With the initialization of the EPIC Program, in the last one year, we have successfully managed to screen over 500 patients and also provide complex surgical treatments for PWE free of cost. This time, we will be advancing and focusing on treating patients with Refractory Epilepsy or Intractable seizures. The screening and treatments of these patients would be conducted in the best way possible and at free of cost. It is time we put out our best foot forward in eradicating epilepsy from the roots.”

“98% of patients who underwent complex epilepsy surgery under EPIC program are doing extremely well with near normal life” added Dr. Satish Rudrappa.

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Bangalore, 18 November 2020: On the occasion of National Epilepsy Day, Aster RV Hospital, a multi-specialty quaternary care hospital in Bengaluru, has launched a specialised Epilepsy Clinic in the city. The clinic will have certified epileptologists trained in adult and paediatric epilepsy, supported by a multi-disciplinary team to address the complex needs of both adults and children suffering from epilepsy. Patients can access specialized treatment for new onset seizure, complex epilepsy, epilepsy surgery, PNES treatment and ketogenic diet plan.

Epilepsy is the fourth most common neurological disease in India with an estimated incidence of about 12 million patients in India. This amounts to a whopping 1/5^th of the global burden. Social discrimination, stigma and lack of awareness about the treatment options available to cure or manage epilepsy patients remain some of the major issues in reducing the burden of epilepsy in India.

Dr. Keni Ravish Rajiv, Consultant – Neurologist and Epileptologist, Aster RV Hospital said, “With medical advancements, it is entirely possible to manage epilepsy and even completely cure it. However there are still some myths and superstitions around seizures or fits, with some people still believing that it is caused by a ghost possession or mental illness. With the launch of this clinic, we aim to create more awareness about epilepsy, acceptance and relief from this condition, and reduce some of the social discrimination faced by epileptic patients in schools, workplaces, marital life etc.”

Aster launches world class Epilepsy Clinic :

It is estimated that about 7-14 out of 1000 people in developing countries are suffering from active epilepsy at any given moment throughout the world. “Despite the high numbers, the number of people who are able to access proper treatment for epilepsy is less. In India, the treatment gap is estimated to range from 22% in urban areas to as high as 90% in rural areas. It is important that these people gain access to trained epileptologists backed by a multi-disciplinary team where mental health and the co-morbidities associated with epilepsy will be addressed as well,” said Dr. Sreekanta Swamy, Head of Neurology, Aster RV Hospital

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