WHO called for urgent strengthening of measures to protect brain health
The World Health Organisation (WHO) released alarming figures on Tuesday: more than 3 billion people worldwide are living with neurological disorders, and more than 11 million die each year from diseases affecting the brain.
WHO urges governments to urgently increase investment in neurological health and remove barriers to access to care, Medicalxpress writes.
According to the report, about 40% of the world's population suffers from one or more neurological disorders. The top ten diseases that most often lead to death and disability include:
stroke,
migraine,
alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia,
meningitis,
epilepsy of unclear nature.
Despite the high level of risk, patient care remains inaccessible in many regions. The reasons are structural, financial and social barriers, as well as stigmatisation and lack of awareness, which cause people to avoid seeking medical care.
WHO emphasises that low-income countries have 80% fewer neurologists than developed countries. This means that for millions of people, timely diagnosis, treatment and ongoing follow-up are simply out of reach.
"Unless urgent action is taken, the burden of neurological diseases will only increase," the organisation said in a statement.
Of the 194 member states of the U.N:
only 63 countries have a national strategy for treating neurological diseases,
only 34 countries allocate separate funding for it,
only 46 countries offer formal support programmes for caregivers,
and only 44 countries have established legal safeguards for informal carers.
WHO calls on the international community to:
increase access to health services, especially in rural areas and among vulnerable populations,
eliminate discrimination and the information vacuum that prevents people from seeking care,
invest in research, especially in low- and middle-income countries,
promote prevention and mental health, including lifestyle, nutrition and education.
"When more than one in three people in the world are affected by brain diseases, we have a responsibility to do everything we can to ensure they receive adequate health care," said WHO Deputy Director-General for Science and Health Jeremy Farrar.