13 February 2025, Cairo, Egypt – To mark World Epilepsy Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) is raising awareness about epilepsy, a common neurological disorder that can affect anyone, at any age.
An estimated 4.7 million people with epilepsy live in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. It is among the 3 most frequently encountered neurological disorders in primary health care settings in 20 of the 22 countries and territories of the Region.
Despite its prevalence, barriers to care and understanding continue to exist, particularly in low- and middle-income countries and in emergency settings.
Epilepsy is characterized by recurrent seizures which occur due to excessive electrical discharges in a group of brain cells. Seizures vary in their duration, severity and frequency depending on where in the brain the disturbance begins and how far it spreads. Symptoms can include changes in sensation (such as altered vision, hearing and taste), incontinence, tongue bites and other injuries, unexplained confusion, sleepiness, weakness, loss of awareness or consciousness and sudden uncontrolled movements of the arms, legs or entire body.
Most of the causes of symptomatic epilepsy are preventable and treatable. Modern antiepileptic drugs are effective and relatively inexpensive. In up to 70% of people, epilepsy can be fully controlled by antiepileptic drugs.
While epilepsy affects millions of people worldwide, stigma remains a major challenge. In many societies, people living with epilepsy face discrimination, social exclusion and human rights violations. They are often denied access to education and employment, undermining basic human dignity and exacerbating
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