We were delighted to recently welcome over 60 representatives from across the Irish epilepsy community and the Minister for Health to a special event focused on the Intersectoral Global Action Plan on Epilepsy and Other Neurological Disorders (IGAP).
IGAP is a 10-year roadmap developed by the World Health Organization to improve the lives of people living with epilepsy and other neurological conditions worldwide. As an EU Member State, Ireland has committed to implementing the plan. However, progress on implementation has been limited, both in Ireland and across Europe.
Organised by Epilepsy Ireland, the Irish Epilepsy League and the International Bureau for Epilepsy, the event brought together epilepsy clinicians, nurses and researchers; people living with epilepsy; family members; families bereaved by epilepsy; representatives of other neurological organisations; and policymakers.
Through a series of presentations and discussions, attendees gained insights into IGAP, the current state of epilepsy services in Ireland, and how our services compare with those in other European countries. Participants then took part in small group discussions to identify the key priorities for Ireland in delivering on the targets set out in IGAP.
The outcomes of these discussions are currently being collated and will form the basis of a renewed joint call to action from the Irish epilepsy community. This call will seek meaningful progress on the priorities identified at both national and European level.
Epilepsy Ireland has been invited by the International Bureau for Epilepsy to present the findings from the event at the European Epilepsy Summit in Brussels in early November. The event was also addressed by Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD, who expressed a strong willingness to engage with us on the issues and recommendations emerging from the discussions. We look forward to continuing this engagement in the weeks and months ahead.
While work continues on developing this call to action, we would like to sincerely thank everyone who joined us on the day, with a special word of thanks to Minister Carroll MacNeill for opening the event and supporting this important conversation.
We will share the resulting call to action on our website and social media channels in the coming weeks. In the meantime, you can learn more about our advocacy work by visiting the Advocacy section of our website.
If you need support or information about your own journey with epilepsy or that of a family member, please do not hesitate to contact your local Community Resource Officer. Their details can be found by visiting the Our Local Services section of our website.
