Chapter Name: Epilepsy Special Interest Group of Myanmar
Report By: Prof. San Oo

Publications:

• Poster presentations on ketogneic therapies for neurological disorder by Paediatric neurology team at 6th global symposium in October 2018
1. Initiation of ketogenic diet service in Myanmar and challenges by Chaw Su Hlaing
2. Knowledge and attitude towards ketogenic diet among Myanmar pediatric trainees by Aye Mya Min Aye
3. Three children with drug resistant epilepsy for the first ketogenic diet in Myanmar by Hnin Wint Wint Aung

Summary of Activities:

• Chapter meetings twice a year and annual meeting in December
• Invited speaker in 14th Asian Epilepsy Surgery Congress;
o Epilepsy in Myanmar: Neurologist’s perspective by Associate Prof. Ohnmar
• CME activities in Yangon, Mandalay and other townships ;
o Update on management of Epilepsy in women by Professor Nwe Nwe Win
o Emergency conditions and management of Epilepsy by Professor Phyu Phyu Lay
o Must know of seizures and epilepsy by Professor San Oo
o Changing conepts of Epilepsy management by Professor San Oo
o Optimizing management of Epilepsy:
Drug responsive Epilepsy by Professor Myint Oo
Drug resistant Epilepsy by Professor Moe Moe Zaw

• Provide technical assistance and participate in the activities of Myanmar Epilepsy Initiative (MEI Project)
• Dr Aye Myat Nyein was selected for Korea Epilepsy Society (KES) annual fellowship programme to study Neurology and Epilepsy at Inje University Haeundae Hospital, Busan Korea from January to February 2020( she left one month earlier than total intended course of three months because of Covid 19 outbreak).
Activities (2019) in MEI Project
• International Epilepsy Day: Kayin State (February 2019)
• Training of trainers and supervisors from Kayin and Kayah States for scaling up epilepsy services held at central level. In Yangon.
• Supervision of State level training of Township Training Team members held in Kayin State and Kayah States.
• HE talks for raising community awareness about Epilepsy in Loikaw Township in Kayah State and Hpa An & Myawaddy Townships in Kayin State.
• Purple Day: to promote epilepsy awareness, in March 2019, at Yangon Children’s Hospital
• Advocated and endorsed the formation of Epilepsy Support Association (Myanmar) in submitting application for registering as a national Non-governmental organization with Ministry of Home Affairs.

Activities (2020) in Myanmar Epilepsy Initiative (Project)
• International Epilepsy Day: Yagon and Bago Regions (August and September 2020) (Held at later date due to Covid-19 pandemic and divided sessions to reduce participants to a maximum of 30 following Ministry of Health and Sports guidelines for holding meetings/events )
• Training of trainers and supervisors from Bago Region (East and West) for scaling up epilepsy services held at central level In Yangon (2 training workshops in August 2020)

Activities of Paediatric team
• Conducting monthly tele-neurology clinics – with Taungyi (last Monday of the month) and with Magway (first Monday of the month) . For Taungyi a total of 23 patients were seen during July to December. (6 months) For Magway 8 patients were seen during September and October 2020.
• Presentation on Fever and seizures in children at the Myanmar Medical Symposium in January 2020 by Dr. Chaw Su Hlaing.
• Presentation on Seizures in Children at the second Medical Conference in Rakhine State held in February 2020 by Dr. Aye Mya Min Aye.
• Presentation on Status Epilepticus by Dr. Dr. Chaw Su Hlaing at the Yangon Children’s Hospital in August 2020.
• Maintaining Ketogenic center of Myanmar at Yangon Children hospital which was opened in late 2018
Activities (2019) in MEI Project
• International Epilepsy Day: Kayin State (February 2019)
• Training of trainers and supervisors from Kayin and Kayah States for scaling up epilepsy services held at central level. In Yangon.
• Supervision of State level training of Township Training Team members held in Kayin State and Kayah States.
• HE talks for raising community awareness about Epilepsy in Loikaw Township in Kayah State and Hpa An & Myawaddy Townships in Kayin State.
• Purple Day: to promote epilepsy awareness, in March 2019, at Yangon Children’s Hospital
• Advocated and endorsed the formation of Epilepsy Support Association (Myanmar) in submitting application for registering as a national Non-governmental organization with Ministry of Home Affairs.

Activities (2020) in Myanmar Epilepsy Initiative (Project)
• International Epilepsy Day: Yagon and Bago Regions (August and September 2020) (Held at later date due to Covid-19 pandemic and divided sessions to reduce participants to a maximum of 30 following Ministry of Health and Sports guidelines for holding meetings/events )
• Training of trainers and supervisors from Bago Region (East and West) for scaling up epilepsy services held at central level In Yangon (2 training workshops in August 2020)
Activities of Paediatric team
• Conducting monthly tele-neurology clinics – with Taungyi (last Monday of the month) and with Magway (first Monday of the month) . For Taungyi a total of 23 patients were seen during July to December. (6 months) For Magway 8 patients were seen during September and October 2020.
• Presentation on Fever and seizures in children at the Myanmar Medical Symposium in January 2020 by Dr. Chaw Su Hlaing.
• Presentation on Seizures in Children at the second Medical Conference in Rakhine State held in February 2020 by Dr. Aye Mya Min Aye.
• Presentation on Status Epilepticus by Dr. Dr. Chaw Su Hlaing at the Yangon Children’s Hospital in August 2020.
• Maintaining Ketogenic center of Myanmar at Yangon Children hospital which was opened in late 2018

Challenges:

• Due to covid-19 pandemic difficult to hold events for promoting public awareness on Epilepsy. Resorting to social media platforms.
• To maintain community-based approach Epilepsy treatment services at primary health care as some health staff has been mobilized for covid-19 prevention and control. (fever clinics and quarantine centres)
• To reduce treatment gap and promote Quality of Life among people with epilepsy especially during covid-19 pandemic restricting travel and transport.

Future Plans:

• The International Epilepsy Day will be held in Ayeyarwaddy Region in 2021.
• To launch new scaling-up MEI programme in all 26 townships of Ayeyarwaddy Region in Myanmar.
• As the registration of the Epilepsy Support Association (Myanmar) was obtained in August 2020, activities of the association will be launched and activities initiated as soon as condition permits.

Officer Election Date: Tentatively in third week of December 2021