A billion people suffer from neurological disorders

Source: Journal of Islamic Future, edition 188.

One billion people around the world suffer from neurological disorders; such as epilepsy and Alzheimer according to the report of the World Health Organization.

The report pointed out that 50 million people suffer from epilepsy, diabetes, and 24 million suffer from Alzheimer or dementia.

Neurological disorders according to the report also includes: Bleeding, brain stroke, headaches, infections of nerves, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease.

The World Health Organization asserts that 6.8 million people die each year due to neurological disorders, noting that the cost of neurological disorders in Europe in 2004 reached 139 billion Euros.

These disorders affect individuals of all ages regardless their gender, level of education, or income anywhere in the world; but the ability to have medication is highly varying according to the World Health Organization.

The Director-General of WHO, Margaret Chan, expressed her sorrow because despite the availability of low-cost and very effective medications, nearly nine out of every 10 persons suffer from epilepsy in Africa do not get treatment.

The lack of treatment as the organization explained is due to the existence of ineffective health services systems, lack of qualified personnel, lack of essential treatments, as well as the existence of some beliefs and traditional practices.

The WHO is calling for the inclusion of neurological medications within the primary health care, which is the only way to get medical care for many patients. In this framework, doctors do operations that do not require advanced technology, as the organization says.