AI Summary
This editorial discusses the global public health challenge posed by neurological disorders and the WHO's Intersectoral Global Action Plan on Epilepsy and Other Neurological Disorders (IGAP) aimed at improving access to care for individuals with neurological disorders. The WHO aims to have 80% of countries providing essential medicines for neurological disorders in primary care by 2031. To achieve this target, a new WHO report proposes strategies to enhance global access to these medicines.
Disorders affecting the nervous system are now the leading cause of disease burden globally, presenting a substantial public health challenge. WHO’s first policy tool to tackle this challenge is its Intersectoral Global Action Plan on Epilepsy and Other Neurological Disorders (IGAP), which aims to improve access to care for people with neurological disorders while preventing new cases of disease and promoting brain health and development across the life course. To align with the IGAP target for 80% of countries to provide essential medicines for neurological disorders in primary care by 2031, a new WHO report, published on July 22, proposes strategies to improve access to these medicines globally.