The World Health Organization (WHO) has highlighted a critical global health challenge: neurological disorders now affect over 3 billion people worldwide, contributing to more than 11 million deaths annually. Despite the immense burden, less than one in three countries has a national policy to address these conditions, leaving millions without access to essential care. The WHO’s Global Status Report on Neurology emphasizes that the top ten neurological conditions—ranging from stroke and Alzheimer’s disease to migraine and epilepsy—are major contributors to death and disability globally.
Low-income countries face the most severe shortages, with up to 82 times fewer neurologists than high-income nations. Many nations lack national plans, budgets, and workforce capacity to manage neurological conditions effectively. Essential services such as stroke units, pediatric neurology, rehabilitation, and palliative care are often limited to urban centers, leaving rural and underserved populations without critical support. The report also reveals that informal carers, mostly women, frequently provide lifelong care without recognition or support, reinforcing social inequities and financial strain on families.
WHO underscores that neurological conditions can often be prevented or effectively managed, yet access to care remains limited due to weak health systems, fragmented policies, underfunding, and lack of public awareness. Only 32% of countries have a dedicated national policy for neurological disorders, and merely 18% provide specific funding. Universal health coverage rarely includes neurological care, and legal protections or support for carers remain inadequate.
In response, WHO urges countries to adopt the Intersectoral Global Action Plan on Epilepsy and Other Neurological Disorders, providing a roadmap to strengthen policy, expand access to care, promote brain health, and improve data systems for evidence-based decision-making. Governments are called to prioritize neurological health, invest in healthcare systems, and implement coordinated, life-course interventions to reduce the burden of neurological disorders and close global health inequities.
