Health workers play a significant role in bridging the gap between people with epilepsy (PWE) and access to epilepsy care as well as reducing the Epilepsy treatment gap especially in resource-limited settings. However, studies have shown that many healthcare workers are still in the dark when it comes to Epilepsy.

We gave health talk on Epilepsy for over 300 health workers in some health facilities in Cameroon. During these talks we addressed issues like the causes of epilepsy, treatment epilepsy myths or misconceptions. We also encouraged the health workers to be ambassadors of epilepsy in their communities.

The management of epilepsy in Cameroon is challenged by a critical shortage of health personnel with training in epilepsy management. Consequently, most cases of epilepsy are being managed by people with no training in epilepsy, herbalist and witch doctors. This leads to suboptimal management, poor health outcomes and patient experience.

Epilepsy Awareness and Aid Foundation recently organized a training on epilepsy assessment and Management for healthcare workers in a reference hospital in the crisis-hit town of Bamenda. Over 100 healthcare workers were trained on the causes, diagnosis, clinical presentation and treatment of epilepsy.