THATTA, June 6: The medicines for epilepsy are so costly and show signs of effectiveness after so long a period that majority of poor patients often start to believe that the disease is incurable and turn to shrines of “pirs", quacks and cheats as a last resort, said doctors at a seminar on "epilepsy and its treatment".

They said at the seminar organised by the People's Doctors Forum at Makli Civil Hospital on Tuesday that rising graph of poverty, depression, anxiety, road accidents, inadequate health facilities and sense of deprivation were major causes behind epilepsy and migraine and the state and civil society should take coordinated measures to contain the ailments.

Prof Dr Shaukat Ali, head of neurology department of JPMC, said that there are two per cent patients of epilepsy and 18 per cent of migraine in the country and 70 per cent of epilepsy patients get rid of the malaise after long-term usage of medicines while 30 per cent of patients are bound to use and rely upon medicines throughout their lives.

Many giants of history including Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Newton and Einstein suffered from ‘epilepsy’ throughout their lives, he said and disclosed that Pakistan’s living great Abdul Sattar Edhi, too, was a patient of epilepsy.

He warned that the cases of cerebral palsy were on the rise among children and advised the government to set up well equipped neurology departments with skilled doctors, paramedics and laboratories at district headquarters to combat the disease. He also suggested providing training to local doctors on the subject.

Earlier, PDF organised a medical camp at town dispensary where the doctors examined, prescribed and provided medicines to 350 patients free of charge. Prof Shaukat Ali donated medicines worth Rs40,000 and distributed to the poor patients.

PDF Provincial head Dr Karim Khawaja, civil surgeon of Makli Civil Hospital Dr Lal Mir Shah, Dr Ismail Palijo, Dr Zahoor Memon were among the speakers.

ANNIVERSARY: Speakers paid rich tributes to distinguished director, actor, story writer and poet, Niaz Hussain Bhutto, at a simple ceremony marking his fourth death anniversary in Daro town on Tuesday.