The burden of diagnosis and treatment of neurological disorders in sub-Saharan African countries; As the world accelerates the pace of change

Abstract

Sub-Saharan Africa is recognizably a region grinding under the suffocative weight of various shades of distressing issues. And bringing it into symphony with the rhythm of a rapidly-changing world becomes a daunting, but very necessary task. There are several negative indicators lucidly pointing to crippling deficits, and outright morbidities in the continent's social orientations and societal fabrics. The welfare ladders are tottering, and nearly all institutional tools/vehicles for driving towards functional/sustainable social welfare systems, are either rickety or outrightly ‘unroadworthy’. Health sector in sub-Saharan Africa particularly is an emergency situation. Neuroscience is one area of medical practice that is still filled with mystique and still evolving, but we are certain those in the developed countries have not the faintest idea of its ravaging impact in the developing countries of Africa. There is a very poor understanding of pathophysiology of these disorders. 1 in every 5 Nigerian patients, sometimes 3 or 4 in an emergency section of any general hospital for example, has neurological/neurosurgical condition and many of them fail to seek early medical attention due to misconception, myths and belief system. Ours is an environment affected to a larger extent by culture and religion. A lot of affected individuals are oblivious that they have neurological issues. When the fate of a people is hanging precariously on a precipitous threshold, no passionate Interface can be at ease. The distressing health needs of sub-Saharan Africa's indigent communities should constitute emotional burdens, as well as moral responsibilities for all genuine and committed intermediaries.