2022 Elections: Candidate Statement for WFN Secretary General

Tissa Wijeratne

What an exciting time to be in WFN? It is an incredible honor to  have been nominated for the WFN Secretary General election this year. Brain health is in peril globally. One in three of us has a brain disorder . Brain disorders are the leading cause of disability and the second leading cause of death globally. Two-thirds of these occur in low to middle-income countries. Different regions of high-income countries demonstrate vast disparities in awareness, education, access to care, prevention, and rehabilitation. I have seen this imbalance in care firsthand during my youth in rural Sri Lanka, followed by culturally and linguistically diverse communities representing 166 nations in Western suburbs in Melbourne, Australia. I believe WFN can build on the successes of the last few decades, capitalize on IGAP and advocate more for quality neurology and better brain health  by improving local engagement and activities.

If elected, I will seek to enhance the inclusiveness and constant collaboration already at our society's heart. We shall continue to work hard to support movers and shakers in brain health worldwide - not only neurologists, academics, and industry but also the billions of patients and families experiencing the effects of brain disorders. Advocacy and supporting local advocates will be a crucial component of my global vision for quality neurology and better brain health. We will continue to assist national societies, health ministers and ministries, aiming to deliver the IGAP for all neurological disorders in all regions during the next decade. Educational programs, grants, symposia, CME, travelling fellowships, accreditation and postgraduate training programs will all be added to, enhanced or, in some cases, newly developed to help address this need globally. We are already doing a lot, but we can and will do more. Our many activities will continue to bring neurologists worldwide together, ensuring everyone's voice is heard. Committee representation, additional scientific activities and other advocacy campaigns shall be the tools we use to achieve this goal.

The WFN needs hard-working men and women who can dedicate themselves to improving brain health worldwide. To cohesively solve the issues facing neurologists across the globe, we can listen to, discuss, and assimilate the ideas of many. I will bring these qualities to our leadership group. As you know, I have already represented the global neurology community in WFN activities for nearly  two decades. I am ideally poised to take up the responsibilities of Secretary General, as I bring experience from both sides of the world - from rural Sri Lanka to Australia and beyond. The World Brain Day campaign has already reached out to over a billion people since its genesis in 2014. Yet, there is more ground to cover, but our goals are achievable. With our already talented team, we can work together on this critically important task now.

More about me on my website - www.tissawijeratne.net.I am on WhatsApp at +61430048730 if you need to clarify anything with me directly.

Tissa Wijeratne