Cases of epilepsy on the rise in the Upper West



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Epilepsy cases in the Upper West have more than doubled in the past two years in Wa and the prevailing trend indicates that this number is expected to increase further this year.

Registered epilepsy case reports in the municipality of Wa were 27 in 2016, but climbed to 60 in 2017, a situation that the municipal health department could increase when the authorities finish compiling the data for annual examination reports 2018.

"These figures are only cases in the municipality of Wa. [Upper West] Regional Hospital because it is the center of reference," Mr. Sylvester Basagnia, the municipal mental health officer of Wa, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview.

Although there are many unreported cases, it has already registered several new cases for the first seven months of 2018, but the projected number was likely to increase by the time the data was completely collected.

Health officials define epilepsy as a neurological disorder marked by sudden recurrent episodes of sensory disturbances, unconsciousness or convulsions badociated with abnormal electrical activity in the brain.

Officials attribute the causes to a brain tumor, a chemical imbalance such as hypoglycemia or sodium, head trauma, certain toxic chemicals or drugs, alcohol withdrawal, stroke, including hemorrhages and obstetric trauma.

million. Sylvester said that epilepsy was not a mental or psychiatric disorder but a neurological disorder. it affects the brain.

"This is a serious condition that causes various types of seizures, including strokes, brain tumors, head trauma, central nervous system infections or genetic problems" , did he declare. Mr Sylvester said that many health officials had been trained and seconded to various centers to solve the problem.

He called on stakeholders to help the Region acquire a brain scan and a machine able to diagnose the disorder in order to avoid the dangers of transporting patients from the capital, Wa, to Tamale. , for the brain scanner.

Source: GNA

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