Mfuwe Epilepsy Project
Dr. Alon Friedman is a professor in the Department of Medical Neuroscience.
He holds the Dennis Chair in Epilepsy Research at Dalhousie University and is the Principle Investigator of the Blood-Brain Barrier Lab.
Since 2018, he is collaborating with Mr. Andrew Malunga, a nurse working at the Kakumbi Rural Health Clinic in Mfuwe, in the Eastern Province of Zambia on a joint research on the causes for epilepsy in rural Zambia, with the goal to develop new approach for the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy in rural regions, when medical doctors (or neurologists) are not available. In 2019-2020, a team of local volunteers conducted a door-to-door screening survey of 15,290 people regarding symptoms of epilepsy. The results suggest a high prevalence of epilepsy in the region, up to 10 times the global average, with fewer than5% of those diagnosed receiving a proper treatment with anti-seizure drugs.
In April 2022, Dr. Friedman travelled to Mfuwe with a team of volunteers including neurologists and EEG technicians from Zambia, Canada, Germany, and Israel. The team examined patients with symptoms consistent with epilepsy to confirm the diagnosis, including the use of EEG. The team learned about the local challenges in the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy in the region, the associated stigma and social isolation of patients with epilepsy. This international team lead by the BBB lab continues this project with the goals to establish “tele-neurology” system for the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with epilepsy, supporting the local health workers, designing program to increase awareness and knowledge about the disease and conduct research into the causes and prevention of epilepsy in rural areas.
Training a local healthcare professional to use EEG at the Kakumbi Rural Health Clinic.
The team founded the Mfuwe Epilepsy Foundation. The goals of the foundation are to:
Improve diagnosis of epilepsy and encourage correct treatment
Educate, increase awareness, and reduce stigma of epilepsy in the community
Research to better understand the causes of high prevalence of epilepsy in the Region
Build an Epilepsy Center that will provide diagnostic services, treatment, education, and rehabilitation service
The Mfuwe Epilepsy Foundation is currently seeking funds to help build a Comprehensive Center for the diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and research of epilepsy. With the help of private donors the foundation purchased land near the Kakumbi Rural Health Clinic and plan to start building the Center this Fall.
The team that visited in April 2022. From left: Titima (EEG technician from Lusaka), Anna Minarik (Dalhousie University student), Andrew Malunga (Team Lead in Zambia), Ana (EEG Technician from Sheba Medical Center, Israel), Dr. Merav Shamir (Veterinarian Neurologist and Professor from Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel), Dr. Eli Schwartz (Professor from Sheba Medical Center), Dr. Alon Friedman, and Dr. Theodor Rüber (Neurologist from Germany).