Epilepsy in Cameroon: Africa concerned over laws and care

By Bakah Derick 

Journalists and Epilepsy advocacy stakeholders from across Africa have raised concerns over laws on Epilepsy in Cameroon. In a report presented on day one of a three day Africa Epilepsy Media Training webinar, the International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE) Africa indicated that Cameroon's foundation laws that is the Constitution gives no explicit right to health care to persons living with Epilepsy though containing "provisions on state support for the disabled." 

Presented by Action Amos Vice President IBE Africa,  the report titled the IBE Africa 21 State Epilepsy Health Laws Mapping Exercise, "reflects on how health laws may be used to strengthen the prioritisation of epilepsy in resource-restricted settings, specifically, in the African context."

This report highlight has been confirmed by local actors who admit that Epilepsy is not yet a health concern in Cameroon considering the Health Sector Strategy (HSS 2016-2027). 

"Government efforts in meeting persons with epilepsy needs are sub optimal and very mimal but we appreciate that they' ve a focal person in charge of persons with epilepsy at the miniterial or national health levels. No one is at the regional nor district health levels. Also as of moment at the Ministerial level there's no activity on epilepsy." Nsom Kenneth the Executive Director of Community Development and Epilepsy Foundation (CODEF) a Cameroon based organisation admitted. 

With only two pieces of legislation being  Law N° 2010 / 002 of 13 April 2010 on the protection and promotion of persons with disabilities and Law No. 96/03 of 4 January 1996 covering the Framework in the Field of Health, Nsom things that something has to be improved upon. He has expressed the need to "incorporate epilepsy into the health development plan especially at the regional & district levels, invest   money in the epilepsy activities, train non-specialist health workers on epilepsy." 

Following efforts made by CODEF though complaining of lack of funding, it is hoped that Cameroon's executive and law makers will find it necessary to make Epilepsy a health priority. 

"CODEF for the past 19 years as  the leading organization working with persons with epilepsy raised awareness on epilepsy in schools, groups of persons with epilepsy and communities, among health personnel but all these efforts are being hindered by lack of funding. But more awareness is needed due to lots of ignorance or lack of knowledge as the WHA68.20 stipulates, stigmatization, discrimination, isolation and fundamental human rights of these persons abound." He notes 

The webinar's module one with journalists participating from across Africa also featured a presentation on Epilepsy in South Sudan with similar challenges raised.