causes

Objectives

Objectives i) Task shifting to the grass root level by training Health care workers; this will improve access to better epilepsy care.
ii) To guarantee production of skilled workers with technical competencies.
iii) Raise awareness in the community to improve knowledge, reduce stigma and ensure suspected cases are referred to the clinics.
iv) Increase access to epilepsy information via phone services, mass media, awareness materials and publications.

Outcomes

The overarching goal of this campaign is to reduce the epilepsy knowledge and treatment gaps in Kenya. This goal will be achieved by providing awareness and execute country specific national action plans.

We believe this campaign will achieve the following; i) Identify the burden of epilepsy in the country context and identify key stakeholders who will need to be contacted and engaged.
ii) Gather information and conduct a situation analysis. A situation analysis provides a thorough understanding of the needs and resources available related to epilepsy in the country, and the coverage and quality of essential treatment. It helps identify any strengths and weaknesses of the current system and any barriers to expanding services.
iii) Identify and inventory human, financial and material resources.
iv) Engage partners at the local, national and regional level for strategic linkages and collaboration. Examples of such partners include other NGO's, policy makers, elected officials, ministries of health, ministries of social development and the local and regional WHO office.
v) Form a national coordination committee responsible for the development and implementation of an action plan with goals and timelines.

Outputs and activities

Key to the success of this initiative are with the following assumptions:
i) The epilepsy knowledge and treatment gaps can be reduced through the development and execution of a well laid out national action plan.
ii) Associations of people with epilepsy, their families, and professionals have a significant role in advocating for a national epilepsy.

In order to improve epilepsy care in Kenya, so that more people benefit and there is sustainable development of policies and programmes, a proposed epilepsy care support has been developed by Shine Epilepsy Support. The proposed project aims at first identifying management practices in terms of diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of people with active (convulsive) forms of epilepsy in urban, rural and semi-rural areas and then testing procedures and technical norms which will lead to the diagnosis, education, treatment and follow-up of people with active epilepsy at a primary health-care level.

Our starting point is the need to employ a co-ordinator to set up and organise provision of support services throughout Kenya. The co-ordinator will have 4 main functions:-

EPILEPSY

The overarching goal of this campaign is to reduce the epilepsy knowledge and treatment gaps in Kenya.

JOIN WITH US
i) To act as a field worker and bridge the gap between medical and social services by providing information and support about other services and benefits that are available.
ii) To set up, and then liaise with, local support groups to help them prepare agendas and source speakers that support chosen topics. This will provide local people with a local support network, reduce the need to navigate public transport systems and so encourage independence and increase confidence among those affected by epilepsy as well as increase their capacity to cope.
iii) To raise awareness of the condition among the general public by delivering presentations and workshops in a variety of formats.
iv) To organise and promote training sessions/ workshops suitable for all who work with people who have epilepsy.