By Shan Juan (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-12-12 07:38

A campaign to help the country's 9 million epilepsy sufferers was launched Tuesday, with the call for better public awareness and new regulations to ward off discrimination against those with the neurological disorder.

Li Shichuo, president of the China Association Against Epilepsy, which initiated the campaign, said it "aims to mobilize hospitals, companies and the general public to play their part in creating a comfortable environment for people with the condition and their treatment of the disease".

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological ailment characterized by recurrent, unprovoked seizures.

Li also called for legislation to protect the rights of epileptics in terms of employment and other aspects of their lives.

The association, which was set up last year, said 65 percent of epileptics do not seek medical treatment because of fears they will be discriminated against.

Instead, many turn to folk remedies.

To help address the problem, the association started a nationwide alliance for epileptics to share their experiences.

A man surnamed Zhang, who is both a member of and volunteer for the alliance's Shanghai branch, and who now dedicates his time encouraging those with epilepsy to seek proper treatment, said: "We epilepsy sufferers cannot despise ourselves. We can still be useful people, just like everyone else."

Zhang, 52, who was diagnosed with epilepsy 30 years ago, said his boss at Shanghai Normal University asked him to retire early from his job as an art teacher after he suffered an attack at work.

Professor Zhu Guoxing, Zhang's doctor, said people with the disease are often sacked on the spot after suffering an attack in the workplace.

Despite the disease's relatively low national prevalence rate of 0.7 percent, such widespread discrimination is not confined to the workplace, Li said.

Students who pass the national college entrance examinations, for instance, often have their applications turned down once authorities learn of their condition, he said.

Epileptics also find it hard to get jobs as ironworkers or full-time drivers because of safety concerns, Li said.

Depending on the severity of their condition, epileptics can suffer sudden muscle spasms and even lose consciousness without warning. But the disease can be easily managed with medication, Li said.

"Epileptics should have no reason to feel ashamed."