The International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE) Africa continues to play a leading role in supporting African countries to translate the WHO Intersectoral Global Action Plan on Epilepsy and Other Neurological Disorders (IGAP) into practical national action. Through strategic collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), Ministries of Health, organisations of persons with lived experience, professional associations and civil society partners, IBE Africa is helping countries move from policy commitments to implementation.

Building Momentum: Southern Africa Workshop 2025

A major milestone in this journey was the Southern Africa Regional Workshop on Accelerating the Implementation of IGAP, held in 2025 in partnership with WHO. The workshop brought together government representatives, WHO Country Offices, epilepsy organisations, neurological experts, and people with lived experience from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia and South Africa.

Figure 1: WHO, Ministries of Health and IBE Chapters at a Regional Workshop in South Africa

The workshop provided countries with an opportunity to assess their progress, identify implementation priorities, strengthen multi-sectoral collaboration and begin developing practical roadmaps for implementing the WHO IGAP within their national health systems.

Beyond technical planning, the workshop demonstrated the value of bringing together policymakers, healthcare professionals and people with lived experience as equal partners. For many countries, this was the first time that organisations representing people living with epilepsy and other neurological conditions were formally engaged in national discussions on neurological health policy. This marked an important shift towards more inclusive and people-centred implementation of IGAP.

Building on the Trendsetter Initiative

The Southern Africa workshop built on earlier work undertaken through IBE Africa’s Trendsetter Countries Initiative, which supported countries to domesticate the WHO IGAP following its adoption by the World Health Assembly in 2022.

Through this initiative, IBE Africa provided technical support to South Africa, Kenya, Mauritius, Eswatini and Ethiopia to advocate for the integration of IGAP into national health priorities.

A key achievement was the establishment of multi-sectoral national taskforces to coordinate implementation. In Kenya, this approach was further strengthened through the creation of county-level taskforces, providing a decentralised model that is now informing implementation in other countries.

Figure 2: Two chapters in Kenya signing MoU’s on IGAP Implementation

These governance structures have brought together Ministries of Health, clinicians, researchers, civil society organisations, epilepsy associations, caregivers and organisations of persons with lived experience to guide national implementation efforts.

Expanding the Journey to Eastern Africa

Building on the success of Southern Africa, IBE Africa and WHO are now extending this collaborative model to Eastern Africa.

The Regional Meeting on Accelerating the Implementation of the WHO Intersectoral Global Action Plan for Epilepsy and Other Neurological Disorders (IGAP) will take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 29–31 July 2026. The meeting will bring together representatives from Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Kenya and South Sudan to review progress, share country experiences and develop practical implementation roadmaps aligned with the objectives of the WHO IGAP.

The three-day programme includes sessions on the regional overview of IGAP, country landscape analyses, reducing stigma, strengthening policy and governance, improving access to quality care, sustainable financing, data and surveillance, and country planning for implementation.

Importantly, people with lived experience will actively participate in panel discussions and policy dialogues alongside Ministries of Health, WHO, researchers and professional associations, reinforcing the principle that meaningful inclusion is essential to effective neurological health policy.

Delivering Results Across Africa

Figure 3: IBE engagements with Ministries of health in Zambia and Lesotho

To date our work is delivering tangible outcomes.

• Eight (8) African countries have developed national IGAP implementation roadmaps.
• Six (6) National taskforces have been established to coordinate implementation, with Kenya also creating county-level structures.
• IBE convened two regional conventions in 2023 and 2025 in Ethiopia and Zambia respectively to capacitated chapter to engage strategically.
• Policy dialogue processes done in Cameroon, Lesotho and Sierra Leone, laying the foundation for future roadmap development.
• Collaboration between governments, WHO, civil society organisations and organisations of persons with lived experience has been significantly strengthened.

One of the most encouraging developments has been the increasing recognition of epilepsy as the tracer condition for implementing the broader neurological disorders agenda. By using epilepsy as the entry point, countries are strengthening health systems in ways that benefit the wider neurological community, including improvements in policy development, service delivery, access to essential medicines, community awareness and multi-sectoral coordination.

Looking Ahead

As we head towards 2031 IBE will intensify its support gearing towards monitoring implementation of these engaged countries. IBE also remains committed to supporting countries to transform the aspirations of the WHO IGAP into meaningful action. Through regional collaboration, technical assistance and the meaningful involvement of people with lived experience, the continent is building stronger foundations for equitable, integrated and person-centred neurological care.

The growing number of national roadmaps, strengthened governance structures and active participation of people with lived experience demonstrate that Africa is not only adopting the WHO IGAP—it is leading the way in showing how global commitments can be translated into practical action that improves the lives of people living with epilepsy and other neurological disorders

Compiled by Action AMOS Regional Programs Coordinator