Epilepsy Association conference begins

KOCHI: The 13th annual conference of Indian Epilepsy Association (IEA) and Indian Epilepsy Society (IES), ECON 2012, began here on Saturday. Minister for Social Welfare M K Muneer inaugurated the conference, which focuses on the theme ‘Epilepsy in Teens’. “The social stigma faced by the epileptic patients is prevalent even today when the most modern diagnostics and treatment facilities are available in the country. “The government will consider including epilepsy under the services provided by Thalolam Scheme of the Kerala Social Security Mission (KSSM). The collective efforts by NGOs and medical fraternity is essential in eliminating the social stigma surrounding epilepsy. The government will support all ventures by the IES in this regard,” the minister said. The minister also assured the active participation of KSSM in the awareness programmes of epilepsy society and said that the patients should be treated with some kind of bioethics, which should provide them all legal and social benefits.