Guyana ranks among highest neurological disease burden in the Americas

A study led by the Pan American Health Organization and published in The Lancet Regional Health – Americas found that Guyana is one of the countries with the heaviest burden of neurological disorders in the region. Nearly two in five people across the Americas live with conditions that affect the brain and nervous system, and Guyana is listed alongside Haiti, Suriname, Saint Kitts and Nevis, the Dominican Republic and Paraguay.

The analysis, based on the Global Burden of Disease Study 2023, estimates that neurological disorders caused about 1.1 million deaths and 37.5 million disability‑adjusted life‑years in 2023, representing roughly 12 % of the total non‑communicable disease burden. While age‑adjusted mortality has fallen since 1990, survival rates have increased, leading to a growing population living with disability and a heightened need for rehabilitation and long‑term care.

Ramón Martínez, PAHO health‑metrics specialist and lead author, warned that health systems must adapt to meet these needs. The study highlighted age‑specific leading conditions – neural‑tube defects, autism and epilepsy in children under five; migraine in adolescents and young adults; and Alzheimer’s disease, other dementias and stroke in older adults – noting that autism prevalence continues to rise.