
People with Epilepsy in Pakistan












Enacted & Self-Perceived


National Epilepsy Centre
National Epilepsy Centre is a NGO-run institution designed exclusively for epilepsy care. Located in the heart of the metropolitan city of Karachi, Pakistan it provides holistic (medical and psychosocial) management to all patients with epilepsy irrespective of their religion, caste or creed; especially those from low socio-economic strata.

Holistic Management
Medical and psychosocial management for all patients with epilepsy irrespective of their religion, caste or socio-economic status.

Public Awareness
Awareness through print and electronic media.

Education for Professionals and General Public

Research
Quality epilepsy related research in Pakistan for publication in prestigious national and international journals.
In Memoriam
Prof. Emeritus Dr. Hasan Aziz (1939-2022) – Founder of neurology & trailblazer of epilepsy campaign in Pakistan

Humanitarian
to a Nation


Humanitarian
to a Nation
Abdul Sattar Edhi
HUMANITARIAN
LEGENDARY SOCIAL WORKER
PERSON WITH EPILEPSY
Ambassador, National Epilepsy Centre, Pakistan
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Advocacy by Patients
Madeeha Sharif
Madeeha Sharif is a 32 years old mentally challenged female who has been one of the most challenging cases to treat. When presented at National Epilepsy Centre (NEC) in 2013, she would have 200 plus tonic-clonic seizures per month.


Humanitarian
to a Nation
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Achievement
Vision
Values
Listen, Act, Learn. Repeat
NEC aims to provide holistic management to all patients with epilepsy irrespective of their religion, caste or creed; especially those from low socio-economic strata.
registered patients
Volunteers
EEG with video recording
UNITS OF ANTI-SEIZURE MEDICATION DISPENSED MONTHLY TO REGISTERED PATIENTS
Reduction in treatment gap through public awareness
Our Goals
- Sustained ongoing epilepsy management services
- Continue public awareness
- Provide advanced management opportunities to be a step closer to excellence
- Innovative ideas for innovative future
- Make a legacy
- Make people with epilepsy productive citizens of Pakistan
Work Integrity
- Quality assured services
- Enhance doctor patient relationship
- Building donor trust through transparency and accountability
- Challenging the odds
"Its better to light a candle than
to curse the darkness."
Its better to light a candle than to curse the darkness
“Its better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.”
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Frequently Asked Questions
WHAT IS EPILEPSY?
Epilepsy is one of the most common brain disorders affecting about 50 million people worldwide. Our brain sends electrical commands to our body which then acts accordingly. Disruption in this electrical activity leads to a change in a person’s physical and behavioural activities with alteration in level of awareness. This constitutes a seizure, the clinical symptoms of epilepsy.
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF EPILEPSY?
The causes of epilepsy can broadly be labelled under the headings of structural, infectious, metabolic, immune and unknown. Genetic predisposition can be a cause of epilepsy but is not very common.
- In 60% of people with epilepsy no cause is found and thus called ‘idiopathic’ epilepsy.
- Epilepsy with an overt cause is called ‘symptomatic’ epilepsy. Causes include:
- Brain damage from prenatal or perinatal causes e.g. a low/loss of oxygen, birth trauma, low birth weight, kernicterus (severe jaundice at birth)
- Congenital abnormalities with associated brain malformations like Cerebral Palsy, Down syndrome etc.
- Brain infection; tuberculosis, meningitis, encephalitis
- Brain tumours
- Stroke, causing brain scarring
- Severe head injuries like in road traffic accidents, fall from height
- Neurodegenerative diseases
WHO TREATS EPILEPSY?
Epilepsy is usually treated by primary care doctors (family physicians, general practitioners), psychiatrists, paediatricians, neurologists or epileptologists (neurologist specializing in epilepsy). Epileptologists have a major role when there is complexity in diagnosis or in seizure control and treatment.
HOW IS EPILEPSY DIAGNOSED?
The primary method of diagnosing epilepsy is by doctors taking a detailed description of the seizures from the witness and patient, along with present and past medical history. They may ask for some tests to help give additional information about the type and cause of the epilepsy or rule out any other conditions that can seizures. Home video recording on mobile phones is very helpful.
IS THERE A CURE FOR EPILEPSY?
Epilepsy is treatable disorder like high blood pressure and diabetes. With medications one can become seizure free and 60% of them can go off medicines. However, it is your doctor who will decide and advice how to slowly taper off as sudden withdrawal can prove fatal.
What`s New
Keep exploring the website to stay updated.. We will be sharing some exciting news soon!

International Epilepsy Day 2021
To promote awareness of epilepsy around the world, International Epilepsy Day was celebrated by National Epilepsy Centre (NEC) in collaboration with Epilepsy Support Pakistan (ESP) & Epilepsy Association of Pakistan (EAP). Activities were spread over two or three days.
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We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give

34th International Epilepsy Congress
The 34th International Epilepsy Congress, organized by the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) and the International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE), will take place 28 August – 1 September 2021.
International Epilepsy Day, a joint initiative created by the International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE) and the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), is a global event celebrated annually on the 2nd Monday of February, to promote awareness on epilepsy around the world.
The objectives for International Epilepsy Day are:
- to raise awareness of the disease at international and government level as well as in the public
- to strengthen the epilepsy movement by uniting epilepsy associations in a worldwide campaign
- to raise visibility on epilepsy and encourage discussion about epilepsy
- to provide epilepsy associations with a significant fundraising opportunity
Our fingerprints on the lives we touch never fade
Volunteering is the ultimate exercise in democracy. You vote in elections once every 4-5 years. But when you volunteer, you vote every day about the kind of community you want to live in
We are looking out for energetic, passionate enthusiastic volunteers to support our cause. You can choose any of the projects below or share your own unique ideas.