Bayero University Kano

By Maduabuchi Nmeribeh/Kano

Prof. Zubairu Ilyasu has urged patients suffering from epilepsy to approach hospitals for care and cure, instead of patronizing quacks and herbal medicine dealers.

The Professor of Medical Health at Bayero University Kano (BUK) and Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), frowned at the growing rate of using fetish and herbal medicines as cure for epilepsy.

He advised victims of epilepsy and their relations to approach available medical facilities for cases of both epilepsy and sickle cell, particularly, in children.

He spoke during the international workshop on developing future leaders in child neurology and epilepsy, organized by Vanderbilt university in collaboration with AKTH and BUK.

The workshop with the theme: “Optimizing Child Neurology and Epilepsy Outcomes in Northern Nigeria,” was held on Tuesday at Bristol Palace hotel, Farm Centre, Kano.

Prof. Zubairu faulted the superstition that epilepsy is linked to the menace of evil spirits, insisting that research has indicated the ailment can be cured through professional medical prescription.

According to him, the workshop is to empower and expose upcoming health workers at all levels to researches conducted on epilepsy and sickle cell, especially in children.

He further stated that: “The main message I want to deliver here is that our people should seek help, whenever they have a child with epilepsy and sickle cell disease, they should not stay at home and believe that it is due to evil spirit.

“They should contact health workers starting from the nearest health facilities to them usually at the primary healthcare level.

“And then subsequently if they cannot handle those issues at that level, they know what to do, they will refer them to the hospitals, both the general hospitals and the teaching hospitals. So we want to help children with epilepsy and sickle cell.”

He also hinted that the event was first of its kind being the first International Conference on Neurology and Epilepsy in Nigeria.

“The purpose of the gathering is to share ongoing researches mostly conducted in institutions in Kano, Northern Nigeria and across Africa, particularly at Bayero University Kano, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and Neuro Psychiatric Hospital, Kaduna,” he added.

He further stated that the researches conducted are related to Sickle Cell and Epilepsy, which are two difficult diseases to handle because of the stigma they have.

Prof. Zubairu also spoke on the findings of the researches that were presented, which include the use of a new drug called urea in managing sickle cell and the possiblity of training community health extension workers and other health cadres apart from doctors to be able to screen children with epilepsy and also manage epilepsy at their own levels.