The World Health Organization warned today that neurological disorders affect more than 40 percent of the global population, which amounts to over 3 billion people, contributing to the deaths of more than 11 million individuals annually. This situation represents a public health crisis that is often overlooked or downplayed in many countries.
The WHO’s new global report on neurology indicates that fewer than one-third of countries worldwide have national policies to address these health challenges. The report revealed that ten major neurological conditions were responsible for deaths and disabilities in 2021, including stroke, neonatal brain disorders, migraines, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, diabetic neuropathy, meningitis, idiopathic epilepsy, neurological complications from preterm birth, autism spectrum disorders, and nervous system cancers.
The organization called for urgent and coordinated actions based on accurate data to expand access to neurological care, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, where the shortage of neurologists is 82 times greater compared to high-income nations.
In this context, Dr. Jeremy Farrar, WHO’s Deputy Director-General, emphasized that more than one-third of the world’s population suffers from disorders affecting their brains, warning that most of these cases can be prevented or effectively treated, yet medical services remain inaccessible for the majority.
