urgent action required on neurological care

The World Health Organization (WHO) warns today that less than one three countries around the world have a national policy to resolve the growing cargo of neurological disorders, responsible for over 11 million deaths globally each year. Who is new Global Status Report of Neurology Today it shows that neurological conditions now affect more than 40% of the global population – over 3 billion people.

The best 10 neurological conditions that have contributed to death and disability since 2021. There have been a stroke, neonatal encephalopathy, migraines, Alzheimer's and other dementia, diabetic neuropathy, meningitis, idiopathic epilepsy, neurological complications associated with troubles, and autism, and can be systems.

Low income countries have more than 80 times less neurologists compared to high -income countries, despite the high burden of these diseases. Many low and medium -sized countries do not have national plans, budgets and labor. Which calls for urgent, based on evidence and coordinated global action to prioritize brain health priority and expand neurological care.

“With more than 1 of 3 people in the world living with the states affecting their brain, we have to do everything we can to improve the health care they need,” said Dr. Jeremy Farrar, who is Assistant General Director, Health Promotion Department, Disease Prevention and Control. “Many of these neurological conditions can be prevented or effectively treated, but the services remain out of reach for the majority – especially in rural and insufficient regional areas – where people are too often facing stigma, socially excluded and financial difficulties. We need to work together to ensure that we have set patients and their families first and that the health of the brain is a priority and properly invested.”

Key findings from the report

The first such report emphasizes that only 53% of the WHO Member States (102 countries since 194) contributed to this report-a restricted attention-dedicated attention. Only 32% of Member States (63 countries) have a national policy dealing with neurological disorders, and only 18% (34 countries) reports that it has dedicated funding to resolve their.

Without strong policy frames, health systems remain fragmented, insufficiently equipped and poorly equipped to meet the needs of patients and families. Although campaigns to raise awareness of the awareness of the public and the efforts to advocate are progressing, there is still significant places to strengthen their stigma, accelerate reform and ensure that millions receive the care and recognition they deserve.

Basic services have not been reached for most people. Only 25% of Member States (49 countries) include neurological disorders in their packages for universal health coverage. Critical services such as stroke units, children's neurology, rehabilitation and palliative care often miss or concentrated in urban areas, leaving a rural and not enough population without approaching rescue and care for maintenance of life.

The report detects a serious lack of qualified healthcare professionals, with low -income countries facing up to 82 times fewer neurologists per 100,000 people compared to high -income countries. This disadvantage means that for many patients, timely diagnosis, treatment and constant care are simply out of reach.

Neurological conditions often require lifelong care. However, only 46 Member States offers caregiver services, and only 44 Member States have legal protection for carers. As a result, informal carers – most often women – are left without recognition or support, enhancing social inequality and setting a significant financial burden on families.

Load health information systems and chronically insufficient financing of research-in a low and medium-sized countries-border-border decisions based on evidence and prevent effective policies on neurological disorders.

Plan for action

In response to these increasing public health challenges, Member States accepted Intersectic global action plan on epilepsy and other neurological disorders 2022 to reduce the burden and impact of neurological conditions.

The Action Plan provides the countries of the pathway folder to strengthen the priority of politics, to ensure timely and effective care, including promoting health and disease prevention, to improve data on data and hire people with living experience in shaping involved policies and services.

Without action, the burden of neurological disorders will continue to increase, deepening global inequality in health. Who calls in governments to:

• make neurological disorders priority of policy through bold leadership and constant investment;
• expand access to neurological care through universal health coverage and strengthening of the health system;
• Promote brain health during the life course with coordinated intersectoral action by targeting key risk and protective factors; and
• Reinforce data systems and monitoring for decisions and responsibility in information information.

Note for editors

AND Global Status Report of Neurology Provides comprehensive assessment of countries' response to neurological conditions and sets the basic value to supervise the progress within the box Intersectic global action plan on epilepsy and other neurological improve brain health and reduce inequality.