Philippine League Against Epilepsy: A decade of making a difference

MANILA, Philippines - It comes without warning. It seizes the awareness out of a person and then the entire body convulses as if demons are being shaken out. When this is over, the person is knocked out for some moments and upon waking up, he is unaware of what came over him. 

There is nothing quite as dramatic as an epileptic attack when one witnesses it. Even to medical professionals, a seizure looks shocking and scary. When an attack is uncontrolled and it becomes prolonged, it could be fatal. Such is the danger faced every day by every person with epilepsy, a neurologic condition presenting as a tendency to have recurrent seizures. And no matter how much we emphasize that epilepsy, being treatable, is compatible with a normal life, it is in reality a serious brain disorder. And we struggle every day to find ways to treat it, control it, and make it a less dangerous illness. In the country, the Philippine League Against Epilepsy is in the forefront of these efforts.

Epilepsy is known to be the most common chronic neurological disorder in the world. In the Philippines, the number of persons afflicted with it is approaching one million. This number represents persons who have become socially disadvantaged, with limited access to education and gainful employment. They become objects of ridicule by the uninformed public. They are isolated, discriminated and oftentimes neglected.

The PLAE is a group of committed neurologists and allied health professionals who, in the last 10 years, have organized programs to improve the plight of persons with epilepsy. In the absence of a definite government initiative geared toward this segment of society, the PLAE has reached out to every corner of the country to bridge the huge treatment gap that exists.

To raise the bar of epilepsy treatment in the country, the PLAE has organized national and local conferences to discuss updates on the diagnosis and management of this condition. In March 2012, Manila will host the Asian and Ocean Epilepsy Congress which will bring in thousands of medical specialists from the region to participate in high-level discussions on the subject of epilepsy. This September, the 5th National Epilepsy Congress will be held in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte. Dubbed “Epilepsy, Mind and Behavior,” the congress will highlight psychosocial issues in epilepsy.

The PLAE also trains rural physicians to become epilepsy managers. Year after year, PLAE members go to far-flung municipalities to train local doctors to recognize epilepsy and to initiate treatment. This intensive, hands-on training is provided over a period of 10 months. During this period, epilepsy clinics are established in the local health centers and these are manned by the epilepsy managers. This training empowers the local physicians enabling them to attend to simple cases of epilepsy. This program makes neurological care accessible for patients who could not afford to travel to urban centers. Plans are being made to also set up local pharmacies in these sites so that patients can avail themselves of cheaper anti-epileptic drugs. The availability of a constant supply of affordable medications is the cornerstone of treatment of epilepsy in the countryside. 

The PLAE conducts lectures and lay symposia all-year round to educate employers, school administrators, teachers, students, parent organizations and other such groups to improve the general awareness on epilepsy. Livelihood programs are organized to train patients to be skilled, confident and self-reliant. A source of meager income at least allows them to sustain their daily medications. 

The message we try to deliver is simple: Epilepsy may seem formidable but it not impossible to conquer.

The public has to know that epilepsy is not contagious, that it is treatable and that it is a major health concern that has to be addressed down to the grassroots level. Patients, on the other hand, have to realize that epilepsy should not deter them from becoming productive members of the society.

This year, we at PLAE are celebrating a decade of making a difference in the lives of Filipinos with epilepsy. With the support of pharmaceutical companies such as Novartis Healthcare Philippines in providing quality health care for patients with epilepsy, we are able to reach out and help more of them.

Come join us.