WHO calls for urgent focus on brain health

The World Health Organization called Tuesday for urgently scaling up care for neurological conditions, which impact more than three billion people globally, insisting many could be prevented or treated with the right services.

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Neurological conditions affect more than 40% of the global population, while disorders claim more than 11 million lives each year, the WHO said.

The top 10 neurological conditions contributing to death and disability include stroke, migraine, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, meningitis, and idiopathic epilepsy, according to the latest numbers, from 2021.

But structural, financial and social barriers are hindering progress against such conditions, while widespread prejudice and misconceptions are preventing people from seeking treatment, the UN health agency warned.