Doctor: Kilifi has 10,000 epileptic people

About 10,000 residents of Kilifi County are epileptic, according to a medical specialist.

He also says 33 of every 1,000 patients die from the disease or its complications in the area annually.

Dr Eddie Chengo, programme manager at Afya Research Africa and member of the National Epilepsy Coordination Committee said epilepsy prevalence in the county is high and about 100 people in every population of 100,000 get epilepsy annually.

“About 50,000 people are indirectly affected by epilepsy either as friends or relatives. Children and adolescents bear the brunt of this condition. People with epilepsy are stigmatised and isolated by society, and myths abound on the nature and cause of epilepsy in the local Mijikenda community,” said Dr Chengo to The Standard on Saturday in Kilifi town yesterday.

Dr Chengo also said that children were prone to the condition because of causes related to birth injuries, abnormal antenatal periods and infections like cerebral malaria and meningitis.

He however said that the disease is treatable, and that 70 to 80 per cent of the affected could be seizure free if they took medication.