13 February 2025, Cairo, Egypt – To mark World Epilepsy Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) is raising awareness about epilepsy, a common neurological disorder that can affect anyone, at any age.

An estimated 4.7 million people with epilepsy live in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. It is among the 3 most frequently encountered neurological disorders in primary health care settings in 20 of the 22 countries and territories of the Region.

Despite its prevalence, barriers to care and understanding continue to exist, particularly in low- and middle-income countries and in emergency settings.

Epilepsy is characterized by recurrent seizures which occur due to excessive electrical discharges in a group of brain cells. Seizures vary in their duration, severity and frequency depending on where in the brain the disturbance begins and how far it spreads. Symptoms can include changes in sensation (such as altered vision, hearing and taste), incontinence, tongue bites and other injuries, unexplained confusion, sleepiness, weakness, loss of awareness or consciousness and sudden uncontrolled movements of the arms, legs or entire body.

Most of the causes of symptomatic epilepsy are preventable and treatable. Modern antiepileptic drugs are effective and relatively inexpensive. In up to 70% of people, epilepsy can be fully controlled by antiepileptic drugs.

While epilepsy affects millions of people worldwide, stigma remains a major challenge. In many societies, people living with epilepsy face discrimination, social exclusion and human rights violations. They are often denied access to education and employment, undermining basic human dignity and exacerbating the physical, emotional and psychological toll of the disease. Women and girls with epilepsy face heightened risks. They may be subject to additional social discrimination and gender-based violence.

In the Eastern Mediterranean Region epilepsy remains underdiagnosed, and treatment is often inadequate. Children face severe barriers to accessing care, and many are unable to attend school due to the stigma surrounding their condition. The situation is made worse in countries facing emergencies and ongoing conflicts where people living with epilepsy – especially vulnerable populations such as children – suffer disproportionately from the lack of available resources and proper health care services.

Barriers to accessing essential treatments for epilepsy in the Region include:

Medication costs – many epilepsy medications are out of reach for patients in low- and middle-income countries.

Gaps in insurance coverage which often leave people without access to the medications and health care services they need to manage their condition effectively.

A severe shortage of health care professionals, including neurologists and epilepsy specialists, limits the ability to diagnose and treat epilepsy effectively.

Emergency situations, including conflicts and natural disasters, create further challenges in accessing consistent health care.

A lack of pediatric-specific formulations of antiepileptic drugs makes it difficult to treat children with epilepsy appropriately.

Regulatory barriers around controlled medicines – some epilepsy medications are classified as controlled substances, making it difficult for patients to obtain them, especially in emergency and conflict settings.

These barriers disproportionately affect vulnerable populations.

A multipronged and multidimensional action – involving the community, civil society, people with lived experience, religious scholars, academia, media and policy-makers – is urgently needed to reduce stigma, affirm dignity and bridge the current treatment gap for people with epilepsy.