The brain is the most powerful and complex organ of the human body, and its health is considered the foundation of a better life. Today, World Brain Day is being celebrated around the world, including Pakistan, with the aim of raising public awareness about the importance of the human brain, mental diseases, disability and their prevention._x000D_
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This day is celebrated every year on July 22 and for the past 9 years, the focus has been on various aspects of mental health around the world. The World Federation of Neurology (WFN) and the World Federation for Neurorehabilitation (WFNR), global organizations working on mental diseases, have decided that this year’s global message focuses on ending inequalities in mental health and ensuring equal access to treatment for neurological diseases for everyone._x000D_
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This year’s campaign is particularly highlighting the problems of people who suffer from mental disabilities and who face various difficulties in treatment, rehabilitation and daily life. Experts say that intellectual disability can affect people of any age and class, but with timely diagnosis, appropriate treatment and rehabilitation facilities, the lives of those affected can be improved._x000D_
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More than one billion people worldwide are disabled_x000D_
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According to the World Federation of Neurology and the World Health Organization, about one billion 300 million people worldwide are living with some form of disability, including about 93 million children._x000D_
Pakistan, which is the fifth most populous country in the world, is estimated to have about 7 million disabled people. Among them, the proportion of children is also significant, where about 43 percent of the country’s total disabled population are children._x000D_
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According to statistics, about 1.4 million children in Pakistan are of school-going age, but due to various reasons, they do not have full access to education. About 65 percent of the disabled people in the country belong to rural areas, while 34 percent are from the urban population. In terms of gender, the number of disabled people is about 58 percent male, while the number of disabled people is 42 percent female._x000D_
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Purpose of celebrating World Brain Day_x000D_
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The main purpose of World Brain Day is to raise awareness about mental health worldwide so that mental, social and physical health can be improved and disabilities caused by mental illnesses can be reduced._x000D_
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According to experts, timely prevention, accurate diagnosis and easy access to treatment of mental illnesses are the fundamental right of every individual. It is the joint responsibility of society to provide treatment, rehabilitation, assistive technology and other necessary facilities to people with mental disabilities._x000D_
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Mental illnesses, a global problem that receives little attention_x000D_
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Medical experts say that mental illnesses are among the most expensive diseases in the world and are also among the major causes of disability and death, however, compared to other diseases, resources for research, treatment and awareness in the field of mental health are still limited._x000D_
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According to experts, it is important to eliminate misconceptions about mental illnesses, increase public awareness, and prioritize treatment and research so that people affected by mental health problems around the world can be provided with better life opportunities.
