This is a healthcare and education project

The project envisages using an innovative and self-sustaining approach utilising minimum resources and reaching out to maximum number of epileptics, related societies, governments and doctors.For a detailed review also see the portion on status.

Since historic times due to an erroneous belief of their condition the epileptics have been classified as dangerous, mad, insane or even possessed. They have been discouraged from even attending school and getting married. These types of misconceptions about epilepsy and the restrictions placed on epileptics are the result out of a fear of ignorance rather than understanding of the facts. The purpose of this project is to document the correct medical approach and the attitude towards epileptics. Epileptics are normal people and sometimes are exceptionally endowed with genius and have proved that they are second to none in any field. The power of the mind over the body has played a crucial role in this exercise. And that is the message for the afflicted of this project.

Any income accruing to the writer from Stage I will be used in Stage II implementation. However even that will not be sufficient and hence a need for an outside sponsor-can be an individual, organisation, association etc. It is however best suited for a Pharmaceutical company in the business of anti-epileptic drugs since it will help in their Research and Marketing efforts as well and will be in synchronisation of the company's business and objectives. This does not debar anyone else from coming forward and offering help. The objective will be to target Epileptics and Children specifically.

This step involves a project akin to the concept of the health train in South Africa or even a health bus. The persons involved will be

• A social worker well versed in social laws to educate the general public regarding epilepsy to remove myths, prejudices, ostracisms or discrimination.
• A neurologist and his assistants to educate ordinary medical practitioners on how to treat epilepsy and also to treat actual patients as well.
• Local Administration, healthcare staff and community including school teachers will also participate.
• Regional Medical Sales Representative of the sponsoring Pharmaceutical company to explain to Doctors (General Practitioners) the product details and dosage forms.

Laws in the country will be studied and the Governments informed of suitable amendments by the social scientist. The first exercise of this sort is intend for a high density country like India and will be then put in to practise in other countries where medical facilities to treat epilepsy are nearly non existent. A follow up will be carried out every year.

I just read by a strange coincidence that even the Red Cross Organisation was started in a similar manner by Jean Henri Dunant when he wrote the booklet A Memory of Solferino and printed a thousand copies of it.(This fact is by no means a comparison to that great human beings.)

The plans are still open and subject to fine-tuning in conjunction with professionals/workers from other fields.

The sole promoter till date is an Individual a Chartered Accountant from India aged 45 years and having work experience of over 20 years with Indian and MNC's in India apart from a short two year stint at East Africa as well. He has worked with Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd. For five years (India's largest Pharmaceutical company with an International presence in all major countries including a two year stint in their R & D division as its finance chief). Start upVentures of Degussa AG from Federal Republic of Germany (Insilco Ltd.) and Guest Keen Nettlefolds Plc of U.K.(GKN Invel Transmissions Ltd) in India.

The Promoter has received best wishes for this project to be carried on its completion from several organisations and individuals all over the globe. Yet for this project to be taken to its logical completion involves funds beyond the capacity of the present promoter hence his appeal for assistance. A small beginning in this has been made out of the promoters funds.

The author acknowledges his thanks for encouragement to

Marise and Peter Baptista for their guidance and encouragement when I needed it most.

Regrets from several other International organisations relating to epilepsy fill my coffers but these never were strong enough for me to back off from my resolve that I made to the Tambaras (see below for Tambara) of the world.

The greatest thanks are however due to an East African epileptic boy of five years Muteteri Tambara Jonathan whose daily shrieks of agony at the hand of his Aunt's ritual beating woke me up from my slumber and challenged me to do something regarding Education and Healthcare of this malaise afflicting mankind since prehistoric times .

Since prehistoric times myths have abounded regarding epilepsy.

In his treatise on the Falling sickness (Epilepsy) which was considered as a divine visitation during that time Hippocrates wrote

And when they were come in to the multitude, there came to him a certain man kneeling down to him and saying.

'Lord, have mercy on my son for he hath a dumb spirit and is a lunatic and sore vexed for he suddenly crieth out and often times he falleth in to the fire and oft in to the water and wherever He taketh him. He teareth him and he foameth and gnasheth with his teeth and pineth away. Master .I beseech thee look upon my son for he is mine only child. And I brought him to your disciples and they could not cure him'.

Then Jesus answered and said to his disciples 'O, faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you? Bring him hither to me'

And Jesus rebuked the Devil, who teareth the boy and he fell down on the ground and wallowed foaming.And he asked his father 'How long is it since this came unto him?'

And he said 'Of a child. Lord helps us, have compassion on us.'

Jesus said unto him 'If thou canst believe ,all things are possible to him that believeth'

And straight away, the father of the child cried out and said with tears 'Lord, I believe, help me thou mine unbelief'

When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit saying unto him'Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him'

And he was dead in so much that many said 'He is dead'

But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up and he arose and the spirit departed out of him and the child was cured from that very hour.

Then came the disciples to Jesus apart and said' Why could we not cast him out?'

And Jesus said unto them 'Because of your unbelief; for verily I say unto you, if ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, remove from hence to yonder place and it shall remove and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth only by fasting and prayers '

And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God.

Then there arose reasoning among them, which of them should be the greatest.

And Jesus perceiving the thought of their heart took the child and set him by him and said unto them 'Whosoever shall receive this child in my name recieveth me and whosoever shall receive me recieveth him that sent me .For that is least among you shall be great'

(Consolidated and modified from the Gospel according to Saint Matthew, Saint Luke and Saint Mark)

We know that 2000 years ago that child got cured but the devil in the form of Epilepsy still lives on and plagues so many till today. We also do not know the anguish of the young boy afflicted with epilepsy nor his future life Sequel Matthews 17:14 attempts to reflect the feelings emotions and sentiments in the same child's ultimate story. Quacks still abound, the anguish of the parents of afflicted children is still the same, the specialists are sparse and the myths and prejudices that epileptics face are many including social ostracism of being insane and being possessed by the devil.

The Hindu Marriage Act 1955 and the Special Marriages Act 1954 of India make no distinction between insanity and epilepsy. Epileptic Children are denied education and are discriminated against. There is a stigma attached to the disease relating to the belief that they are possessed or insane.

Project Education Epilepsy aims to educate all people regarding the affliction. John Dryden best expresses this in his poem The Longest Tyranny on lack of knowledge .

The longest tyranny that ever sway'd

Was that wherein our ancestors betry'd

Their freeborn Reason to the Stagirite

And made his Torch their universal Night

So truth, while one supplied the State,

Grew scarce and dear, and yet sophisticate;

Until 'twas bought, like Empirique Wares, or charms,

Hard words sealed up with Aristotle's Armes.

…………………………………………………

John Dryden 1663

Written in the year of his selection to the Royal Society

Stagirite-Aristotle's birthplace used as a synonym for him

Sophisticate- in 17^th century English means adulterated.

Sealed up Empiric wares-patent medicine of undisclosed composition.

The general significance is that obscure and corrupt works have been given the authority of a great name and that men are kept or choose to remain in ignorance at all time

We know however that given a chance many epileptics have excelled themselves in whichever field they chose to excel in-Pythagorus ,Blaise Pascal , Alfred Nobel ,Charles Dickens ,Socrates,Aristotle, Alexander the Great , Lewis Carrol,Lord Byron ,Edgar Allan Poe ,Napoleon Bonaparte,Jonty Rhodes etc.

Would the Indian lawmakers rate the aforementioned people as insane? Other countries may have an even deplorable state of affairs.The Law makers better think of John Dryden when he writes

Great wits are sure to madness near allied

And thin partition do their bound divide

Even Professor Cesare Lombroso has stated in his The Man of Genius that genius is a morbid condition and many men of genius are subject to epileptic fits. It is hightime we set the ball rolling on this project. It is already more than 2400 years since Hippocrates defined the problem.

If you have any queries please write to me and I shall be glad to answer the same.

Rajesh Rampal

57 Vaishali ,Pitampura

Delhi 110034 ,India

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