Can Capacity Building at Primary Care Level Improve Access to Epilepsy Care in Chhattisgarh? An Implementation Research

INTRODUCTION- With anti seizure medicine treatment almost all treatment naïve persons with epilepsy have reduced seizure frequency and 50-60% become seizure free. Treatment is continued for a few years. While epilepsy is included in the National Mental Health Program (NMHP), doctors dealing with mental health have no epilepsy training.

RATIONALE- Capacity building in primary care for epilepsy management can lead to a reduction in epilepsy treatment gap.

OBJECTIVES- i) To develop an epilepsy primary care model in Chhattisgarh by training primary care doctors through onsite training followed by virtual training
ii) To increase epilepsy awareness in selected underserved rural/forest and semi-urban communities of Chhattisgarh by educating local nurses, HW, schoolteachers and school children.

METHODOLOGY- - i) Building competence for epilepsy management by onsite doctor training
ii) Continuing support to doctors through tele-clinics and tele-education
iii) Increasing epilepsy awareness in the community by improving epilepsy literacy amongst
nurses, health workers, school teachers and school children
iv) Formation of epilepsy peer support groups of health workers and PWE to ensure treatment adherence.

RESULTS- Awaited
TRANSLATIONAL POTENTIAL- i) Capacity building in primary care for epilepsy management
ii) Task-shifting epilepsy care from neurologists to non-specialist doctors
iii) Making health workers, nurses, school teachers, and school children epilepsy literate and
iv) Using peer support groups for improving treatment outcomes and reducing treatment gap