African Journal of Medical Case Reports

African Journal of Medical Case Reports ISSN 2756-3316 Vol. 12 (5), pp. 001-004, May, 2024. https://internationalscholarsjournals.org/© International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Successful management of status epilepticus in a resource poor environment

¹Abraham S. Kamara, RN; ^1,2Lawrence Zumo, MD, FAAN

¹Center for Epilepsy & Neurologic Diseases, Monrovia, Liberia, West Africa
²Department of Neurology, University of Maryland Capital Regional Health Center, Largo, Maryland, USA.

Received 18 January, 2024; Accepted 24, February 2024; Published:

Abstract
    
Despite the severe lack of resources, SE (status epilepticus) can be successfully managed in a resource poor environment like Liberia. However to achieve this, injectable anticonvulsants beyond oral benzodiazepines must be readily available to make a successful therapeutic outcome possible. Additionally, active and very serious national public health education including national seizure awareness, treatment availability and health literacy campaigns are urgently necessary in Liberia to disabuse patients and their families from relying on scientifically untested and unproven traditional herbs used by traditional herbalists who have no knowledge of the pathomechanisms of epilepsy and other neurologic diseases. These two efforts will go a long way to improve the epilepsy awareness and treatment landscape in Liberia with attendant improved epilepsy stigma reduction, reduced epilepsy associated morbidity and mortality and ultimately improved survival rates from status epilepticus in Liberia.

Keywords: Status epilepticus; iv anticonvulsants; poor resources; herbalist; public health education; unscientific beliefs; depakoate; Keppra.