Janet Ogundepo The World Health Organisation has said that almost half of the world’s population suffers from one form of neurological condition or the other, yet over 75 per cent of them cannot access care and treatment. The WHO made this known in a new report titled, “Improving access to medicines for neurological disorders,” released on Monday to commemorate World Brain Day. World Brain Day is observed on July 22 annually to promote awareness of neurological disorders that affect individuals worldwide.
According to the World Federation of Neurology, neurological disorders impact global health through conditions such as stroke, migraine, Alzheimer’s meningitis and epilepsy. It noted that 90 per cent of strokes, 40 per cent of dementia cases and 30 per cent of epilepsies are preventable with effective preventive measures available for conditions like migraine, headache disorders and neurological infections. The WHO further noted that neurological disorders are the leading cause of disability globally and access to essential medicines remained a global critical challenge.
The report further noted that there were wide disparities in access to treatment in low- and middle-income countries which had limited resources and underdeveloped healthcare systems. It added that 75 people in low-income countries and 50 per cent in middle-income countries cannot access neurological treatment. Commenting on the report, the WHO’s Director for the Department of Mental Health, Brain .