The World Health Organization (WHO) has a blunt message. Fewer than one in three countries has a national policy to tackle neurological disorders, even though these conditions contribute to more than 11
million deaths every year and affect over 3 billion people worldwide. The newly released Global Status Report on Neurology, the first of its kind, reveals that 40 percent of the global population now lives with at least one neurological condition.
Unequal Access, Uneven Systems
The picture is vast but deeply uneven. Low-income countries have 80 times fewer neurologists per 100,000 people than high-income nations. That shortage translates into late diagnoses, delayed treatment, poor rehabilitation, and preventable disability. Only 53 percent of WHO Member States contributed data to the report, highlighting the lack of attention to brain health. Just 32 percent have a national policy, and only 18 percent allocate dedicated funding for neurological disorders. Without coherent frameworks, services remain fragmented and dependent on geography rather than need.
The top 10 contributors to neurological death and disability in 2021 were:
Stroke
Neonatal encephalopathy
Migraine
Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias
Diabetic neuropathy
Meningitis
Idiopathic epilepsy
Neurological complications linked to preterm birth
Autism spectrum disorders
Cancers of the nervous system
These conditions together account for a major share of years of life lost and years lived with disability across all age groups.
Access Gaps and Invisible Carers
Only 25 percent of countries include neurological disorders in universal health coverage packages. Critical services like stroke units, pediatric neurology, rehabilitation, and palliative care are mostly concentrated in urban areas, leaving rural families to travel long distances or go without care. Caregivers remain largely unrecognized. Only 46 Member States offer carer support services and 44 provide legal protection. Most caregivers are women, who often lose income and face emotional burnout without institutional backing.
“With more than 1 in 3 people in the world living with conditions affecting their brain, we must do all we can to improve the care they receive,” said Dr Jeremy Farrar, WHO Assistant Director-General. “Many of these conditions can be prevented or effectively treated, yet services remain out of reach for most, especially in rural and underserved areas.”
Key Highlights of the Report:
3 billion people worldwide live with a neurological condition.
11 million deaths attributed to neurological disorders each year.
80× fewer neurologists in low-income vs high-income nations.
Only 32% of countries have a national neurology policy.
Just 18% report dedicated funding for brain health.
25% include neurological care in health coverage packages.
46 countries support carers; 44 provide legal protection.
In 2022, WHO Member States adopted the Intersectoral Global Action Plan on Epilepsy and Other Neurological Disorders, outlining a roadmap to prioritize brain health, strengthen care delivery, improve data, and engage people with lived experience in shaping inclusive services.
Conclusion:
Without action, the burden of neurological disorders will keep rising, deepening global health inequalities. The message is clear is that brain health must become a policy priority. Expanding access to care, investing in trained neurologists, reducing stigma, and embedding neurological services into universal health coverage can close this gap. If countries act decisively now, millions could receive earlier diagnosis, better treatment, and a future defined by dignity, not disability.
