Karachi, Dr. Fawzia Siddiqui, President of the Epilepsy Foundation Pakistan and a noted neurologist, has raised concerns about the increasing incidence of epilepsy among young people in Pakistan, describing the trend as alarming. During a free medical camp in Gulshan Iqbal, Siddiqui highlighted the challenges faced by patients, including the high costs of necessary medications and diagnostics.

According to Aafia Movement, Dr. Siddiqui spoke about the urgent need for governmental intervention to make epilepsy treatments more accessible and affordable. At the camp, organized by AGM Pharma, free medical tests and medicines were provided to needy patients. She pointed out that more than 60 percent of the attendees at the epilepsy camps are under 20 years old, indicating a significant youth impact within the national rate of 2.5% for epilepsy. This translates to approximately 2.5 million people living with epilepsy in the country.

Dr. Siddiqui also addressed societal misconceptions surrounding epilepsy, which are particularly harsh towards women, and stressed the importance of proper treatment which can allow those affected to lead normal lives, including marriage and childbirth. However, the cost of medication, which can range from Rs 30,000 to Rs 50,000 monthly, is prohibitive for many, and the lack of available drugs sometimes leads to severe consequences like ICU admissions or even death.

The Epilepsy Foundation has begun organizing monthly “Free Medical Camps” to distribute medication with the help of philanthropists and pharmaceutical companies. Nonetheless, Dr. Siddiqui advocates for the government to categorize epilepsy drugs as life-saving and to subsidize them to help patients nationwide.