The World Health Organisation’s work on public health aspects of neurology

Promotion of public health aspects of different fields of medicine has always been one of the important objectives of the World Health Organisation (WHO). Over the years WHO has been undertaking public health related activities in the field of neurology ranging from the coordination of international research projects to the organisation of international meetings on public health aspects of specific neurological disorders such as epilepsy, dementia, and stroke. In the realisation of such activities WHO has been relying on a network of WHO Collaborating Centres (neurological institutions of excellence in different parts of the world); the WHO Expert Panel on Neuroscience (members of which are distinguished neuroscientists including Nobel Prize winners); and many international, professional, and non-governmental organisations working in the field of neurology and related disciplines —for example, the World Federation of Neurology, World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies, European Federation of Neurological Societies, International Federation of Multiple Sclerosis Societies, International League Against Epilepsy, International Bureau for Epilepsy, International Headache Society, and the International Association for the Study of Pain. Regular annual meetings with the presidents and representatives of the organisations mentioned above have been organised in Geneva, thus serving as an international platform for exchange of information on ongoing and future projects in the fields of neurology and neuroscience in general. To give more prominence to the work of WHO on neuroscience and its public health aspects, a Unit on Neuroscience has recently been established in the WHO Division of Mental Health and Prevention of Substance Abuse and a Programme on Neuroscience has been created with the help of experts in the fields of …