Neurological Disorders Major Causes of Death and Disability

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning that neurological disorders are among the world’s leading causes of death and disability, yet fewer than one in three countries has a national plan to address them.

The new Global Status Report on Neurology, released today, shows that neurological conditions affect more than 3 billion people worldwide, around 40% of the global population, and are responsible for over 11 million deaths every year.

The ten leading neurological conditions driving death and disability include stroke, neonatal encephalopathy, migraine, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, diabetic neuropathy, meningitis, idiopathic epilepsy, complications linked to preterm birth, autism spectrum disorders, and cancers of the nervous system.

Gaps in Care and Funding

The WHO report reveals major inequalities in access to neurological care. Low-income countries have up to 80 times fewer neurologists than high-income nations, despite carrying much of the disease burden. Only 32% of WHO Member States (63 out of 194) have a national policy on neurological disorders, and just 18% (34 countries) have dedicated funding to address them.

Essential services such as stroke units, pediatric neurology, rehabilitation, and palliative care remain concentrated in urban areas, leaving millions in rural communities without access to lifesaving or life-sustaining treatment. Only a quarter of countries include neurological disorders in their universal health coverage packages.

“With more than one in three people worldwide living with conditions affecting their brain, we must do all we can to improve the health care they need,” said Dr. Jeremy Farrar, WHO’s Assistant Director-General for Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Control. “Many of these conditions can be prevented or treated effectively, yet services remain out of reach, especially in rural and underserved areas, where people face stigma, exclusion, and financial hardship.”

Social and Economic Toll

The report highlights that only 46 countries provide support services for carers, and 44 countries have legal protections in place. As a result, informal caregivers, mostly women, shoulder the burden without recognition or support, deepening gender and economic inequities. Weak data systems and chronic underfunding of research, especially in developing countries, further limit progress in addressing these conditions.

To respond to this growing challenge, WHO is calling on governments to implement the Intersectoral Global Action Plan on Epilepsy and Other Neurological Disorders, adopted in 2022. The plan provides a roadmap for strengthening policies, expanding access to care, and promoting brain health across all stages of life.

The organization urges countries to make neurological disorders a public health priority through stronger leadership and sustained investment. It also calls for broader access to neurological care under universal health coverage, more prevention through healthy lifestyles and early screening, and improved data systems to support evidence-based policymaking.

Without urgent global action, WHO warns, the burden of neurological disorders will continue to rise, widening health inequalities and putting additional strain on already fragile health systems.