Epilepsy has killed 223 children in Pader district, a recent review report on the Nodding Syndrome Registration in Pader district has revealed. 

The report that was compiled in the month of July reveals that a total of 3,351 Epilepsy cases including 223 deaths were registered from 612 villages in Pader district alone. 

The registration of Nodding disease and Epilepsy cases which was motivated by the need to establish the extent and magnitude of the two diseases so as to direct planning in the delivery of such services as; health and educational assistance put Puranga Sub County as the most affected in the district with 508 cases and 37 deaths. 

Awere ranks second to Puranga with 420 cases registered and 16 deaths recorded. 

The disease has also proved to be prevalent in all the sub counties with only Angagura which has recorded the lowest number of patients at 137 and 10 deaths so far. 

Vincent Oyet, the Focal Point Person for Nodding disease in the district noted that the Epilepsy is haunting communities alongside the nodding syndrome. 

A total of 1 million (about 3.3%) Ugandans are said to be suffering from Epilepsy with limited access to epilepsy medication. 

According to the executive director for Epilepsy Support Association Uganda, Mr Augustus Mugarura, the disease has been fueled by poor access to medical care and lack of awareness. 

He was addressing journalists in Kampala recently ahead of the world Epilepsy day celebrations. 

Mugarura noted that besides, poor medical attention given to epilepsy victims, government has continuously failed to recruit more epilepsy specialists, adding that the country has only four specialists of which two are not in active practice.