DAR ES SALAAM: THE Deputy Minister for Health, Dr Florence Samizi, has said they will table a bill on the marriage law for people with epilepsy in parliament to be amended to avoid the stigma of not being married and others.
Section 39(a)(ii) of the Marriage Act, amended in 2019, allows for the dissolution of a marriage if one of the spouses suffers from epilepsy.
Speaking today in Dar es Salaam on International Epilepsy Day, she said stigma in various areas including employment and marriage is still a major challenge, so the situation is unacceptable, and called on Tanzanians to stop stigmatizing and denying the rights of people who have and are living with epilepsy.
“The ministry recognizes the importance of social policies and laws that protect and preserve the rights of people living with epilepsy as they often face obstacles in employment, education, civil rights, social services and access to quality services, even if a marriage occurs when one of the spouses has epilepsy, the marriage can break up.
She added “I would like to assure you that the ministry has seen and is working to ensure that they get their rights.
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A person with epilepsy needs a partner so that he can help him, but when he is diagnosed, they say he should stay alone. However, in reality, there is a situation of loneliness. There is a high importance that this law must be rejected because these are patients like others, we will work on it,” Dr. Samizi stressed.
She said it is the responsibility of society to fight stigma which has become an obstacle to the fight against epilepsy and stressed that they will continue to provide education from the community level to the highest level in order to reach patients and treat them early.
“You and I need to provide education to the citizens, and this education should be sustainable. Statistics show 50 million people are living with this disease, and these diseases affect many people; the death rate for people with epilepsy is three times higher thanthat of the general population.
She noted that epilepsy affects children and young people from the age of 20 to 29, whereas in low- and middle-income countries it is associated with superstitious beliefs such as demons, witchcraft and when a person gets it, they are taken to a healer and prayed for, so 70 percent of them arrive at the hospital late.
Acting Executive Director of Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) Dr Julieth Magandi said
Muhimbili has continued to invest in strengthening epilepsy services through four different interventions including strengthening services for children using modern machines and has established a specialized diagnostic unit in Mloganzila.
“The strategy statement reminds us that in addition to improving services, it is our responsibility to combat stigma and misconceptions that have become an obstacle for many patients to access treatment, we call on the community to ensure that these people are treated with respect.
The Chairman of the Tanzania Epilepsy Association (TEA), Prof William Matuja, said statistics show that people living with epilepsy are more than 60 million in the world and there is an increase of 34 to 75 people per 200,000 people per year, with Africa accounting for the largest percentage of people living with epilepsy, with 20 to 58 people per 1000 people.
“More than 60 percent of deaths are caused by the direct effects of the disease and more than 25 percent of epilepsy patients have disabilities caused by falls when the patient has a seizure.
He noted that more than 36 percent of the community still believes that epilepsy is caused by dark forces, and 50 percent believe that it is contagious, while 45 percent of school-age children are not sent, and 68 percent of their attendance is not satisfactory, while 75 percent of patients go to see traditional healers, and others go to religious leaders.