WHO’s new report reveals that neurological disorders account for at least 11 million deaths annually worldwide yet less than one-third of countries have formal policies to tackle this burden.
Glimpse:
Conditions such as stroke, Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, and migraine affect over 40% of humanity. But only 53 of 194 WHO countries report having national neurology policies. The disparity is deepest in low- and middle-income nations lacking specialists, rehabilitation infrastructure, and universal coverage.
WHO’s latest global neurology status report underscores the massive toll of neurological diseases, which now contribute to 11 million deaths per year. These conditions affect more than 3 billion people worldwide over 40% of the global population.
Yet the response is inadequate. Only 53 WHO Member States contributed data; just 32 have national neurology policies; 18 report dedicated budgets. Many low-resource countries have drastically few neurologists (up to 80x fewer than high-income regions).
The report urges governments to integrate neurology into universal health coverage, expand prevention (e.g. stroke control, infectious disease reduction), increase rehabilitation services, and strengthen data systems to track neurological burden.
“Brain health is not a niche concern it is foundational to human dignity, independence, and development.”
By
HB Team
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