Fact 1: Anyone can suffer from epilepsy.
Fact 2: Women in Nigeria do not support women with epilepsy.
Fact 3: Women with epilepsy have huge problems in Nigeria.
Problems with marriage
The story of Genevieve was published in The PUNCH two years ago. She hid her epilepsy from her husband because of the stigma. Unfortunately, she had a seizure six weeks into a pregnancy. The doctor later confirmed that she had lost the baby. He also explained to the husband that she was suffering from epilepsy, which angered him. The husband walked out of the union and that was it.
Another lady came to the clinic with a baby. We found out she was not married and she said the parents of the man did not accept her because of her illness.
Epilepsy can also follow pregnancy/childbirth, especially as some women have strokes due to high blood pressure.
Traditional healers prey on patients
Traditional healers perpetuate and, indeed, profit from stigmatising beliefs about spiritual causes of epilepsy. Women have been made to work for their treatment or even marry these criminals. A lady was told to bring a sacrifice each time she wanted to plait her hair or else, the seizures would come back. Superstitious beliefs lead to scarification on the body as well as sacrifices and unnecessary rituals.
Pastors preying on patients
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Let us save women living with epilepsy