World Brain Day 2026 Media Toolkit

Poster 1 Statistic:

3.4 billion people affected: Over 42% of the global population now lives with a neurological condition, making brain disorders the leading cause of disability and ill health worldwide. 

Poster 2 Statistic:

The 11 million mortality gap: Neurological disorders claim 11 million lives annually. Crucially, 81% of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where access to care is most limited. 

Poster 3 Statistic:

The 227-fold workforce inequity: High-income countries have 227 times more neurologists per capita than low-income countries. In parts of Africa and Asia, there is often fewer than one neurologist for every 1 million people.

Poster 4 Statistic:

80% epilepsy treatment gap: In many regions, 4 out of 5 people with epilepsy receive no treatment at all, despite the existence of essential medicines costing less than $5 USD per year.

Poster 5 Statistic:

$5 trillion economic burden: The global cost of neurological conditions is now estimated at $5 trillion USD annually, a figure that threatens to destabilize national health systems if access to prevention is not scaled.

Poster 6 Statistic:

90% stroke prevention potential: Up to 90% of strokes are linked to modifiable risk factors like hypertension. Access to simple blood pressure monitoring could prevent millions of cases of permanent disability.

Poster 7 Statistic:

45% dementia delay: Addressing 14 modifiable risk factors across the lifespan can prevent or delay nearly half of all dementia cases.

Poster 8 Statistic:

The diagnostic desert: In rural LMICs, the average distance to the nearest neuro-diagnostic tool (CT/MRI) is over 200 kilometers, turning treatable conditions into life-long disabilities.

Poster 9 Statistic:

5-Year delay to diagnosis: On average, patients in under-resourced areas face a 5.4-year delay between their first symptom and a specialist diagnosis, leading to irreversible neurological impairment.

Poster 10 Statistic:

The digital bridge: While only 3% of the global population has direct access to a neurologist, 72% have access to a mobile network, creating an immediate pathway for tele-neurology and AI-assisted triage.

Poster 11 Statistic:

Environmental neurology risk: 28% of the global stroke burden is now attributed to air pollution, making Access for All a matter of environmental justice as much as medical care.

Poster 12 Statistic:

The IGAP Policy Gap: Only 32% of countries currently have a standalone national policy for brain health. Advocacy for Access for All is the only way to reach the WHO 2031 targets.