KARACHI, April 4: The Epilepsy Association under its comprehensive epilepsy control programme will hold a free camp at the Sindh Government Qatar Hospital on Saturday.

All patients will be examined and those needing treatment will be provided with necessary medication free of charge.

Dr S. Waseem Akhter and Dr Zarin Mughal, two senior neurologists associated with the programme, said the camp would be 16th of its kind in Karachi during the last few years.

Regretting that lack of public awareness prevented a large number of epileptic patients from seeking treatment for a condition which in more than 80 per cent instances is controllable, they appealed to the people to seek proper intervention for the common disorder.

Reminding that it is a condition during which recurrent brief disturbances of brain function occur due to abnormal electrical discharges, they said it may be manifested through fits, convulsions and loss of consciousness for varied durations.

The neurologists, however, reiterated that proper and regular medication can often reduce the recurrence of epileptic attack to even nil over the period.

The Association has also established a network of epilepsy satellite clinics in different government hospitals and health- care units across the city. Two doctors from each of these set- ups have been trained for proper and timely diagnosis and treatment of epileptic patients.

Such satellite clinics are also operating at the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Lyari General Hospital, Sindh Government Qatar Hospital, KV Site Hospital and government hospitals at Saudabad, New Karachi and Korangi.

The neurologists also pointed out that treatment for the condition is largely cost-effective and affordable.—APP