African Currents

Charting Course for Awareness on Brain and Neurological Health in Africa

According to the World Health Organization, neurological disorders are the primary cause of global disability and ill health, with more than 3 billion people currently affected. These conditions result in over 80% of deaths and health issues in low- and middle-income regions, with sub-Saharan Africa hit the hardest.
Sputnik
Africa could be on the brink of a health crisis due to a lack of awareness about brain and neurological health, as people suffering from illnesses like Alzheimer's or Parkinson's are particularly vulnerable because of harmful myths about the causes of their conditions, leading to their social exclusion, says Dr. Yared Z. Zewde, Assistant Professor of Neurology at the Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, in an interview with Sputnik Africa.

"People in our communities have a limited awareness of brain health in particular. Conditions like neurodegenerative disease or stroke or epilepsy, all those things are being surrounded by misconceptions. So that causes patients to be stigmatized, and the majority of the patients in the community seek medical care in an alternative way, like traditional healers, religious remedies, and the like. But this also contributes to the suffering of our patients who live there," Dr. Zewde notes.

Dr. Wolfgang Grisold, President of the World Federation of Neurology, provided insight into the efforts made to advance public awareness and access to healthcare, stressing the need to increase skilled manpower in Africa's health sector, particularly concerning neurologists.

"We are aware of the large gap between [Global] North and South. It is one aim of the World Federation [of Neurology] to be inclusive in countries in need [...]. We are made aware of the needs by all members constantly, and we can improve in providing content and quality of neurology by increasing teaching and training as a sideline. The World Federation entertains four training centers in Africa: Cape Town, Cairo, Dakar, and Rabat, which have been training neurologists in the past years, says Dr. Grisold.

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