About NEA
A Few Words
About NEA
The Nepal Epilepsy Association (NEA) is a non-governmental organization (NGO) which strives to raise awareness about epilepsy in Nepal and provides holistic care to patient living with epilepsy. Its establishment in 26/09/1986 became a reality through the encouragement and support of Dr. Kun Hoo Rhee and Dr. C.C. Park, prominent psychiatrists from South Korea, who visited Nepal with the vision of establishing organization similar to Korean Epilepsy Association (KEA). This vision came to reality through a young Nepali doctor, Dr. Sakura Rajbhandari, Dr. Rhee’s student in Korea. Since, its establishment, Dr Rhee is continuously providing medicine as well as other supports including yearly medical camps to NEA. However, NEA is presently running on private donations. It has one epilepsy center in Lazimpat (where there are more than 600 registered epilepsy patients) and 50 bedded hospital in Dolkha (Gaurishanker General Hospital) run in coordination with Kathmandu Model Hospital. This General Hospital provides care to not only epilepsy patients but other common diseases. There are more than 1000 epilepsy patient files in Dolkha .
Almost all of the operational costs from running the NEA clinic in Kathmandu come from private donations, both in cash and kind (antiepileptic drugs) medicines). A small proportion is recovered from patients who can pay for the anti epileptic drugs. Those who cannot afford to pay are given drugs free of charge.
Individual Approach
NEA's Activities:
NEA runs clinics for patient with epilepsy and other common diseases. It also provides facility for EEG at subsidized rate. It has plan of extending such programs in different parts of Nepal.
In addition to treatment of disease, it provides proper counseling to ensure timely follow up and long term compliance of patient.
This association functions as producing health materials about epilepsy and other common diseases. It provides platform for running seminars and conferences on epilepsy & related topics; and also endeavors to publish articles and magazines on such topics. It manages for speeches & guest lectures from specialists.
NEA mobilizes funds and donations and international organization for epilepsy management. It plans to perform researches on epilepsy & anticonvulsant therapy.
NEA provides health education to villagers and illiterate people about prevention and management of epilepsy and common diseases; basic health matters like family planning, safe delivery, maternal and child health, nuitrition, sanitation etc.
This association coordinates with different organizations and charity programs to launch epilepsy camps on various parts of Nepal. It tries to eliminate health tabooes and to motivate people toward assertive knowledge, attitude and practices by mobilizing local leaders and active community participation
NEA
Future Plan
NEA proposes a phase wise construction of an Epilepsy Hospital to be completed within a period of 10 years. It projects the need of 3 to 5 ropanies of land and a fund of one million rupees per year upto 10 years. NEA seeks financial assistance from national and International organizations and provision of land from Government of Nepal.