A consultant neurologist at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Dr. Temitope Farombi, has raised the alarm over the prevalence of neurological disorders in Nigeria, warning that the country lacks essential drugs, rehabilitation facilities, and preventive strategies to tackle brain diseases effectively.
 
Farombi, who is also the founder of Brain Centre Neurological and Rehabilitation Services, spoke during activities marking the first anniversary of the centre in Ibadan. She was joined by Esther Erigbemi Farinu and Samuel Oluwaseun Babalola.
 
Launched in January 2025 as a one-stop facility for neurological and rehabilitation care, the centre has treated over 160 neurological cases within its first year, reflecting the growing burden of brain-related conditions in the country.
 
According to Farombi, many neurological disorders affecting Nigerians are largely preventable, yet government policies and healthcare investments remain focused on treatment rather than prevention. She identified autism, stroke, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and traumatic brain injury as increasingly common conditions that now rank among the leading causes of disability.
 
“Prevention is always cheaper and more effective than treatment,” Farombi said, adding: “A simple tetanus vaccine costing a few hundred Naira can prevent a disease that may require close to N2 million to treat, often with poor outcomes. The same principle applies to stroke and other neurological disorders.”
 
She explained that preventing stroke through routine medical checks and medications may cost between N10,000 and N15,000 monthly, while treating a stroke could demand N1 million to N2 million, a financial burden many families cannot meet in a largely out-of-pocket healthcare system.