The Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (FMoHSW), has reaffirmed its commitment to tackling the growing burden of neurological disorders in Nigeria and across Africa, at the maiden African Neurological Summit held recently in Abuja.
Organized in collaboration with the Brain and Spine Foundation Africa, the landmark summit—the first of its kind on the continent—focused on driving policy and advocacy to bridge access gaps in neurological healthcare, under the theme:
“Policy and Advocacy in Neurological Healthcare in Africa: Bridging the Gap Towards Achieving WHO Intersectoral Global Action Plan (WHO-IGAP) on Epilepsy and Other Neurological Disorders 2022–2031.”
Representing the Honourable Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, at the summit, Dr. Tunde Ojo highlighted that neurological disorders are now the leading cause of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and the second leading cause of death globally, responsible for 9 million deaths annually.
He noted that five conditions—stroke (42.2%), migraine (16.3%), dementia (10.4%), meningitis (7.9%), and epilepsy (4.9%)—constituted the largest contributors to global neurological DALYs as of 2016, adding that 52.9 million children under age five had developmental disabilities, with 95% living in low- and middle-income countries.
“This summit marks a paradigm shift—from conversation to coordinated execution,” Pate emphasized, calling on African countries to confront systemic inequities in neurological care with structured, multisectoral responses.
To address these challenges, Pate disclosed that Nigeria is already implementing national policies for non-communicable diseases and scaling up mental and neurological services nationwide. These include the development of the 2023 National Mental Health Policy, the Mental Health Gap (mhGAP) Intervention Guide v3.0, and the operationalization of the National Mental Health Act (2021).
“We cannot achieve a revolution in neurological health through federal efforts alone,” he warned. “State governments must mainstream neurological services in their health budgets; academia must strengthen research and workforce training; professional associations must enforce standards and advocate for funding; civil society must fight stigma; and the private sector must invest in diagnostics, digital health, rehabilitation, and supply chains.”
Pate commended the Brain and Spine Foundation Africa, the Ministry’s technical teams, continental delegates, and development partners for their collaboration, expressing hope that the summit would generate actionable outcomes for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of neurological disorders.
In her welcome remarks, the Founder and Executive Director of the Brain and Spine Foundation, Engineer Chika, shared the personal motivation behind the foundation—her sister’s struggle with a neurological disorder in 2012. She noted that since its establishment in 2017, the Foundation has supported over 300 patients through various interventions.
She praised the Federal Government’s increasing attention to brain health and urged participants to propose ideas that will advance the WHO-IGAP goals.
Also speaking at the event, Dr. Muhammad Ozi, National Coordinator for Non-Communicable Diseases at the Ministry, stressed that inclusive and multisectoral policies were essential to closing the care gap in neurological disorders.
Signed
Alaba Balogun
Head, Press & Public Relations
3 August 2025
