Abstracts

Rationale: Low cost, and effective anti-seizure medications are available to treat epilepsy. About 70% of people with epilepsy will be seizure free with medications. However, over 75% of people with epilepsy do not get treatment in low-income countries. Lack of access to epilepsy care is a major contributor to this treatment gap.
_x000D_ Ethiopia is a low-income country with very limited epilepsy services. There are 5 child neurologists for a population of 110 million. Only few referral hospitals have neurology clinics, and those clinics are largely concentrated in the major cities. For the majority of the population residing in rural areas, access to epilepsy care is limited. Additional barriers to access include cultural beliefs about epilepsy, and stigma._x000D_ Task shifting model of utilizing non-neurologist providers in epilepsy care has been piloted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and is feasible. This project aims at creating a scalable, and sustainable model to improve access to epilepsy care in North Shewa Zone, Ethiopia (population of about 2 million)._x000D_
Objective: Creating a scalable and sustainable program in improving access to pediatric epilepsy care by integrating epilepsy service in the primary health care system.

Methods:_x000D_ - Training of providers in the local health institutions on epilepsy diagnosis, treatment, and follow up. Capacity building at the local level by supporting local staff with mobile clinic and telemedicine_x000D_ - Improving diagnostic services especially EEG service by availing EEG machines and training EEG technologists_x000D_ - Improving access to anti-seizure medications_x000D_ - Establishing epilepsy referral centers _x000D_ - Public, family, and patient education on epilepsy and its treatment in collaboration with local epilepsy advocacy group – Care Epilepsy Ethiopia _x000D_ - Educating traditional healers, and religious healers about epilepsy and its treatment to make them partners _x000D_ - Closely working with the ministry of health and local health institutions to ensure sustainability_x000D_ _x000D_ Results:  _x000D_ Outcome measures:_x000D_ - Trained health workers ability in correct identification, diagnosis, and treatment of epilepsy_x000D_ - Epilepsy cases diagnosed and treated in each health institution _x000D_ - Epilepsy treatment gap

Conclusions:  _x000D_ Task-shifting model for epilepsy care has been piloted by the WHO. Integrating epilepsy services in the existing health institutions is feasible. This project aims at creating a scalable and sustainable model to improve access to epilepsy care in North Shewa Zone, Ethiopia.

Funding: BAND Foundation