SEHA's Tawam Hospital Helps Eight-Year-Old Patient Overcome Severe Drug-Resistant Epilepsy (DRE)

(MENAFN- Mid-East Info) Personalised treatment combining medication optimisation and vagus nerve stimulation supported seizure control and a return to everyday childhood activities Borderless Finance. AI-Native.

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Abu Dhabi, UAE,November 2026 – SEHA, a subsidiary of PureHealth, the largest healthcare group in the Middle East, has highlighted the progress of an eight-year-old patient at SEHA's Tawam Hospital following treatment for severe drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE), which had caused more than 100 seizures each day and significantly affected her development and quality of life.

The patient had continued to experience frequent seizures despite receiving anti-seizure medication (ASM), placing a substantial burden on her daily life and on her family. The frequency of the episodes affected her ability to engage safely in routine childhood activities and required a specialised assessment by SEHA's Tawam Hospital paediatric neurology team.

The clinical team conducted a comprehensive evaluation that included electroencephalography (EEG), a painless test that records the brain's electrical activity, magnetic resonance imaging and genetic testing to better understand the nature of the seizures and guide a personalised treatment plan. Following the assessment, the wider care team considered additional options for epilepsy that had not responded adequately to medication alone, while the clinical pharmacy team optimised the patient's medication regimen to support the most effective and appropriate treatment approaches.

As part of the treatment pathway, the patient underwent implantation of a vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) device. VNS is an adjunctive treatment that delivers regular mild electrical impulses to the vagus nerve, which may help reduce seizure frequency and severity in selected patients with DRE.

The treatment plan was delivered through coordinated multidisciplinary care, with ongoing monitoring and follow-up to assess the patient's response and adjust treatment where required. Based on her current clinical status, the patient is no longer experiencing seizures and has begun gradually returning to activities appropriate for her age.

Dr. Anil Vasudev Israni, Consultant Paediatric Neurologist at SEHA's Tawam Hospital, said:“Children with DRE require careful assessment because seizures may continue despite the use of multiple medications. A comprehensive evaluation helps us understand the type of epilepsy, identify the most appropriate treatment options and develop a plan tailored to the child's clinical needs.”

Dr. Vasudev added:“VNS does not replace medication or produce the same outcome for every patient, but it can provide an important additional treatment option for selected children whose seizures remain difficult to control. In this case, the response has been encouraging, and the patient's progress has had a meaningful impact on her daily life and her family.”

The case reflects the importance of multidisciplinary paediatric epilepsy care, combining specialised neurology expertise, diagnostic evaluation, medication management, surgical support, and structured follow-up. It also highlights how access to personalised treatment locally can support children and families living with complex neurological conditions.

SEHA's Tawam Hospital continues to strengthen its individualised paediatric neurology services for children with complex epilepsy and other neurological conditions. Through personalised care pathways and close collaboration across disciplines, the hospital supports early assessment, informed treatment decisions and long-term follow-up focused on each child's development, safety and quality of life.

About PureHealth:

PureHealth is the largest healthcare group in the Middle East with an ecosystem that challenges lifespans and reimagines health spans. With 110+ hospitals, 316+ clinics, multiple diagnostics, health insurance solutions, pharmacies, health tech, procurement, investments, and more, its groundbreaking innovations are at the forefront of healthcare. The company is on a mission to unlock time for humankind. By advancing the science of longevity, PureHealth is introducing the healthcare of the future from the United Arab Emirates to the rest of the world.

PureHealth's network comprises the following:

SEHA – One of the largest healthcare networks of hospitals and clinics in the UAE SEHA CLINICS – Delivering comprehensive community-based healthcare services Daman (The National Insurance Company) – The UAE's leading health insurer The Medical Office – Overseeing Sheikh Khalifa's hospitals and healthcare facilities established under the initiatives of H.H. The President of the UAE Rafed – The UAE's largest healthcare group purchasing organisation PureLab – Managing and operating the largest network of laboratories in the region One Health – A network that provides end-to-end medical solutions to a base of over 300 healthcare service providers The Life Corner – Abu Dhabi's first holistic pharmacy, serving the health and wellness establishment Ardent Health Services – The fourth largest privately held acute care hospital operator in the US Circle Health Group – The largest independent operator of hospitals in the UK

Hellenic Healthcare Group (HHG) – the largest private healthcare provider in Greece and Cyprus PureCS – A leading cloud and technology services provider specialising in IT management and consulting solutions, cybersecurity, cloud services and AI information systems Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC) – The UAE's largest healthcare complex, delivering integrated complex care

About SEHA:

SEHA is an independent, public joint stock company created to develop the curative activities of the public healthcare system in Abu Dhabi. The company operates a significant number of the public hospitals and clinics of the emirate of Abu Dhabi. SEHA is a PureHealth asset, the largest healthcare platform in the Middle East.

SEHA is committed to continuously improving customer care to recognised international standards and providing the community with world-class healthcare. SEHA operates 14 hospitals with over 2600 beds, 70 ambulatory care, family care, and urgent care facilities; 6 dialysis centres, and 4 blood banks. Its facilities accommodate 132,000 inpatients annually, conduct 52,000 surgeries, and treat more than 6.7 million outpatients.

SEHA is one of the largest integrated healthcare providers in the Middle East, with more than 20,000 doctors, nurses, ancillary care, and administrative personnel.

To find out more about SEHA's specialised clinic or to book an appointment, call 80050 or visit SEHA. You can also book an appointment through the SEHA mobile app or WhatsApp: 02 410 2200.

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