According to the World Health Organization, disorders of the nervous system—mental, neurological, and substance use disorders— produce substantial disease burden in the developing world. The longstanding focus on infectious disease has obscured their high prevalence and toll on societies, but these disorders, in aggregate, are significant causes of disability in adults and impede human capital formation by their effects on children. Caring for these patients poses a formidable challenge for individuals, families, governments, and societies around the world. Given the existence of cost-effective treatments for many of these disorders, improving both access to care and quality of care.
