Overview

• Neurological conditions are linked to about 11.8 million deaths each year, according to the newly released report.
• Using 2021 Global Burden of Disease data across 37 diagnoses, the leading drivers of death and disability include stroke, neonatal encephalopathy and migraine, alongside Alzheimer’s, diabetic neuropathy, meningitis, epilepsy, prematurity-related complications, autism spectrum disorders and nervous system cancers.
• Stark inequities persist, with low-income countries reporting more than 80 times fewer neurologists per capita than high-income nations and critical services often concentrated in urban areas.
• System gaps are widespread: only 53% of Member States contributed data, 32% have a national policy, 25% include these disorders in universal health coverage and 18% report dedicated funding.
• Caregivers receive limited support, with just 46 countries offering services and only 44 reporting legal protections.