Time for a unified response to the challenge of brain disease

Sir, – On World Brain Day tomorrow (July 22nd), it is timely to zoom in on Ireland’s record in meeting the challenge of brain disease.

The World Health Organisation published a 10-year global action plan for neurological disorders in May, recognising that one in three of us will experience a neurological condition at some point in our lifetime. Here in Ireland, we have made some progress, with significant inroads into survival rates and recovery from stroke, as well as improved diagnosis and treatment pathways for conditions such as epilepsy and motor neurone disease.

However, nationwide there is an unacceptable lack of neuro-rehabilitation services for both children and adults, a shortfall of 100 specialist nurses in neurology, while the Alzheimer Society of Ireland has recently warned of critical shortages in dementia care (“Alzheimer Society of Ireland calls for investment in dementia-specific care to meet a growing need”, News, July 7th).

It is time for a unified response to the challenge of brain disease in Ireland, recognising that brain health is an issue for each of us, our families and wider society. – Yours, etc,