(a) whether the Government have conducted any survey regarding the people suffering from epilepsy in the country;
(b) if so, the details thereof, State-wise;
(c) whether most of the persons living in the rural areas do not receive any treatment at all;
(d) if so, the reasons therefore; and
(e) the corrective steps taken/proposed by the Government in this regard?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI A. RAJA)
(a) to (d) Based on a house-to-house survey conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bangalore (project funded by Indian Council of Medical Research) and other studies conducted in different parts of the country, it is estimated that there are 6-8 million people with epilepsy in India. There is a significant urban-rural difference in the prevalence of epilepsy as indicated by the estimate of 2-3 million in urban areas and 4-5 million in rural areas. The high prevalence particularly in the rural areas of India may be attributed to a multiplicity of factors, namely,
inadequate/poor care of the pregnant mother, non-availability of safe delivery services for babies and want of proper facilities for prompt diagnosis and treatment of brain infections in infancy and early childhood.
(e) Adequate treatment facilities for epilepsy patients are available in the country as epilepsy can be treated by all psychiatric, medical neurological and paediatric physicians at teaching/service hospitals/institutions and primary health centres. The Reproductive and Child Health Programme being implemented by the Government should also contribute in reducing the incidence of epilepsy.