Govt should control shortage, price hike of epilepsy drugs, demands Dr. Fowzia Siddiqui

KARACHI, Oct 04 (SABAH): Epilepsy Foundation Pakistan President and the noted neurophysician of the country Dr. Fowzia Siddiqui has demanded of the government to end shortage of epilepsy drugs in market and also to control their rising prices.

As per details, Dr. Fowzia Siddiqui said that there is need to train junior doctors about proper treatment of epilepsy. For this purpose epilepsy mini fellowships are being arranged. She said Epilepsy Foundation Pakistan for this purpose holds annual mini fellowships. This is a comprehensive program of training of doctors in Pakistan.

This year this mini fellowship workshop was arranged by Getz Pharma in Swat.

Dr. Rasheed Jumma, Dr. Naila Shehbaz, Dr. Memona Siddiqui from DUHS, Dr. Asfand Niazi from Shifa International, and Dr. Tipu Sultan from Children Hospital Lahore attended the workshop on the Basics of Epilepsy Management.

Dr. Fowzia Siddiqui spoke on the issues being faced by epilepsy patients in Pakistan. She said it is necessary to understand the international standards about the disease. She briefed the workshop participants about epilepsy guidelines. She said rising prices and shortages of epilepsy drugs are main hindrance towards it treatment. She said that some epilepsy treatment drugs should be given status of life saving medicines.

Dr. Fowzia Siddiqui said there should be a subsidy on epilepsy drugs to save patients from this painful disease. She said the devices to control epilepsy are so expensive that the common man could think about purchasing them. Even people with a reasonable income could not purchase these costly devices. She said epilepsy is spreading fast and government should take urgent steps to control the rising prices and shortages of epilepsy of epilepsy drugs in Pakistan.

Dr. Rasheed Jumma spoke on surgical options to treat epilepsy. Dr. Tipu Sultan briefed the participants about epilepsy in children.  Dr. Naila Shehbaz spoke on epilepsy in women and its effects during pregnancy and on newborns. Dr. Asfand Niazi spoke on difference between stroke and epilepsy. Dr. Memona Siddiqui talked on different forms of epilepsy and their diagnosis.