Epilepsy Van to Serve Underprivileged Communities

Aster Whitefield Hospital and Rotary Bangalore IT Corridor have launched Karnataka’s first Mobile Epilepsy Van to expand rural access to screening, diagnosis and treatment. The main aim was to improve access to epilepsy screening and treatment in rural and underserved communities.

Since it was introduced in 2023, the EPIC programme has screened over 3,000 individuals, facilitated 62 surgeries for patients with drug-resistant epilepsy and conducted awareness programmes focused on treatment and stigma reduction. This initiative also has concerns to reduce patient expenses by enabling access to EEG diagnostics and specialist consultations, lowering travel and hospital-related costs.

The launch was attended by actor and director Ramesh Aravind and Dr Vasant Kumar, Director, Health and Family Welfare Services, Government of Karnataka, along with hospital and Rotary representatives.

The Mobile Epilepsy Van is equipped with a video EEG system to conduct on-site screening. This facility will help to evaluate patients within their communities. The unit staff is trained by an EEG technician and, during outreach camps, supported by a neurologist, nurse and medical team. These camps are for patients with limited financial resources.

Group Director, Aster International Institute of Neurosciences and Spine Care, Satish Rudrappa, said the lack of awareness and limited financial resources remain underdiagnosed in rural areas and result in delayed access to care. Through the Mobile Epilepsy Van, we are taking specialised neurological screening and evaluation directly to communities that need it the most.

Dr Keni Ravish Rajiv, Senior Consultant, Head of Epilepsy Services and Neurology, said field-based EEG screening and specialist evaluation would have made a clear way from uncontrollable seizures and diagnosis to treatment.

Chief Operating Officer, Aster Whitefield Hospital, Mr Srikant Subudhi, committed that no patient should be denied timely, evidence-based neurological treatment due to geography or financial limitations.”

President, Rotary Bangalore IT Corridor, Mr Shrirang Tambe said How Rotary has helped in eradicating Polio in India, a similar approach will be taken to identify, treat and follow the patients of Epilepsy through this EPIC program with full commitment from RBITC”