Over 11 million deaths each year: WHO issues warning

Currently, more than 3 billion people are affected by neurological diseases, accounting for about 40 percent of the global population, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Data show that fewer than one-third of countries have adopted policies to combat the growing burden of neurological diseases, which cause 11 million deaths worldwide annually.

In 2021, the top ten neurological causes of death and disability included stroke, neonatal encephalopathy, migraine, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, diabetic neuropathy, meningitis, idiopathic epilepsy, neurological complications of preterm birth, autism, and other nervous system spectrum disorders.

These conditions place a heavy burden on low-income countries, which lag more than 80 times behind economically developed nations in terms of neurological workforce capacity. Moreover, low- and middle-income countries often lack national plans, budgets, and human resources to address the issue effectively.

The WHO has called on the global community to prioritize brain health and to take urgent collective action to expand evidence-based neurological care.

Earlier, the WHO reported that antibiotics are becoming increasingly ineffective against bacteria. Globally, drug resistance in infections is rising by an average of 5 to 15 percent each year, largely due to the overuse and misuse of antibacterial medications.

                                                         Mohichehra Qadamova