Epilepsy cases on the rise in Brong-Ahafo

Epilepsy is recording high figures in Brong-Ahafo, Mr Joseph Yere, the Regional Coordinator of Mental Health, has said.

The cases are highly reported among patients between four and 18 years, Mr Yere told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview in Sunyani on Tuesday.

He said though available data has not been finalized, in 2015 epilepsy was the highest among all mental health and related cases recorded in the Region.

Mr Yere said epilepsy is not a mental health problem and is not linked to witchcraft, but rather it occurs due to neurological disorders.

He appealed to pregnant women to attend antenatal clinics regularly and ensure that they always delivered at health facilities.

Mr Yere said epileptic patients could be treated when they strictly adhere to their prescriptions and advised parents and guardians to ensure that the patients regularly took their drugs.

He said depression, especially among women is also assuming alarming proportions, adding that financial constraints and marital problems were some of the causes of depression.

Mr Yere commended government for addressing the recurrent shortages of drugs for mental health patients, saying many are recuperating as a result of their availability.