11 million deaths yearly: WHO report calls for urgent action on neurological care

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning that the world is failing to respond adequately to a mounting crisis in neurological health, with disorders such as stroke, dementia and epilepsy claiming more than 11 million lives every year.

In its Global Status Report on Neurology, released on October 14, 2025, WHO  said neurological conditions affect more than 40 per cent of the world’s population or over 3 billion people, yet fewer than one in three countries has a national policy to tackle them.

Inequities run deep

The report highlighted deep inequities between countries. Low-income nations have “more than 80 times fewer neurologists compared to high-income nations,” despite bearing a heavy burden of disease, WHO said in a statement. Only 25 per cent of countries include neurological disorders in their universal health coverage packages, meaning millions lack access to basic services such as stroke units, rehabilitation and palliative care.

“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 health care they need,” said Dr Jeremy Farrar, WHO Assistant Director-General, Division of Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Control. “Many of these neurological conditions can be prevented or effectively treated, yet services remain out of reach for most — especially in rural and underserved areas — where people too often face stigma, social exclusion and financial hardship.”

As of 2021, the ten leading neurological conditions contributing to death and disability were stroke, neonatal encephalopathy, migraine, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, diabetic neuropathy, meningitis, idiopathic epilepsy, neurological complications of preterm birth, autism spectrum disorders, and cancers of the nervous system.

Despite their scale, neurological diseases remain chronically under-prioritised. Just 32 per cent of WHO Member States (63 countries) have national policies to address them, and only 18 per cent (34 countries) report having dedicated budgets.

The report also noted that neurological conditions often require lifelong care. Yet only 46 countries offer carer services, and just 44 have legal protections for carers. “Informal carers — most often women — are left without recognition or support,” the statement said, reinforcing gender inequities and placing a heavy financial and emotional strain on families.

Weak health information systems and underfunded research, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, have further hindered progress. Only 53 per cent of WHO Member States contributed data for the report — a sign, it notes, of “the limited attention given to neurology”.

Roadmap for change

In 2022, WHO Member States adopted the Intersectoral Global Action Plan on Epilepsy and Other Neurological Disorders, offering a framework to reduce the burden of neurological disease. The plan urges governments to prioritise brain health, improve early diagnosis and care, and engage people with lived experience in designing inclusive policies.

Without significant policy reform, WHO warns, the global toll of neurological disorders will continue to rise, deepening inequalities between and within countries.

WHO is urging governments to:

• make neurological disorders a policy priority through bold leadership and sustained investment;

• expand access to care through universal health coverage;

• promote brain health across the life course; and

• strengthen data systems for better decision-making and accountability.

The organisation emphasised that the scale of suffering — from preventable strokes to dementia and epilepsy — demands immediate attention. As Dr Farrar put it, “We must work together to ensure we put patients and their families first and that brain health is prioritised and properly invested in.”