Updated April 24, 2015.

At the XI Congress of the International Headache Society (IHS) in Rome, India?s Dr. K. Ravishankar spoke of the increased burden of headache and Migraine in developing regions such as India, Africa, Asia, and China and urged the delegates to consider those regions through the collaborative Lifting the Burden Campaign.

Dr. Ravishankar, neurophysician and World Headache Alliance (WHA) council member, runs the Headache and Migraine Clinic at Jaslok Hospital, Bombay.

During his presentation, which focused on the barriers to care in developing countries, Dr. Ravishankarvery eloquently urged the audience to consider not only affluent countries, but also less developed regions, including India, Asia, and China, in the campaign to reduce headache burden worldwide.

The Lifting the Burden campaign, a collaboration of the International Headache Society, World Headache Alliance, the European Headache Federation and the World Health Organization, was launched at the XI Congress. Lifting the burden "seeks to understand the scope and scale of the burden attributable to headache in all parts of the world, and put in place projects to alleviate it region by region."

Dr. Ravishankaraddressed the need for the development of programs to improve patient awareness and attitudes in developing countries, and to build greater awareness among doctors about headache disorders. He also emphasized the need of modified, region-specific guidelines for assessing and treating headaches and Migraine disease.

To illustrate the level of awareness in developing countries, he focused on his own country, India, which has a population of 1,200 million and a Migraine prevalence of 15% to 20%. The scope of the problem there, he says, is well beyond the comprehension of those living in more developed regions.

Unlike other neurological disorders such as Parkinson?s disease or MS, the prevalence and outcome of Migraine may differ regionally depending on numerous external variable factors. These factors, he says, are often unique to developing countries.

Factors contributing to barriers of care include a population growth rate of 2% (compared to less than 0.5% in developed countries), a largely rural population living in areas far from medical clinics, and a literacy rate at 49%, half that of the developed world.

To add to the already substantial barriers, India is home to 10 religions and 24 languages, all of which make communicating health messages a tremendous challenge. Finally, with other serious diseases such as leprosy, HIV, malaria and tuberculosis plaguing the nation, headache disorders are neglected, despite the enormous number of sufferers and the huge economic and social burden they create.

Dr. Ravishankar says he will be looking to the Lifting the Burden Campaign as a first step in addressing these unique barriers to care. He was awarded the £500 Congress Prize for Best Platform Presentation.

Valerie South, R.N., who received the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Award at the XI Congress, also donated her £5,000 award to Lifting the Burden.

It's through the dedication and unbounded dedication of people such as Dr. Ravishankar, Mrs. South, and other advocatesthat the pain-free world we all can only dream of at this time sometimes seems a bit closer and clearer, a bit more like an image of the future than like a faint mirage somewhere on a horizon that we never reach. Our thanks go to all of those people and our congratulations to Dr. Ravishankar and Mrs. South.

Efforts such as this serve not only to address the needs of developing regions, but the needs of everyone impacted by headaches and Migraine. Increased awareness helps everyone everywhere. As Lifting the Burden grows and gains momentum, I'll keep you updated!

Photo © Michael John Coleman, 2003. All rights reserved. Used with the permission of Mr. Coleman.
Michael John Coleman A new campaign is launched to help those most in need.
At the XI Congress of the International Headache Society (IHS) in Rome, India?s Dr. K. Ravishankar spoke of the increased burden of headache and Migraine in developing regions such as India, Africa, Asia, and China and urged the delegates to consider those regions through the collaborative Lifting the Burden Campaign.

Dr. Ravishankar, neurophysician and World Headache Alliance (WHA) council member, runs the Headache and Migraine Clinic at Jaslok Hospital, Bombay. During his presentation, which focused on the barriers to care in developing countries, Dr. Ravishankarvery eloquently urged the audience to consider not only affluent countries, but also less developed regions, including India, Asia, and China, in the campaign to reduce headache burden worldwide.

The Lifting the Burden campaign, a collaboration of the International Headache Society, World Headache Alliance, the European Headache Federation and the World Health Organization, was launched at the XI Congress. Lifting the burden "seeks to understand the scope and scale of the burden attributable to headache in all parts of the world, and put in place projects to alleviate it region by region."

Dr. Ravishankaraddressed the need for the development of programs to improve patient awareness and attitudes in developing countries, and to build greater awareness among doctors about headache disorders. He also emphasized the need of modified, region-specific guidelines for assessing and treating headaches and Migraine disease. To illustrate the level of awareness in developing countries, he focused on his own country, India, which has a population of 1,200 million and a Migraine prevalence of 15% to 20%. The scope of the problem there, he says, is well beyond the comprehension of those living in more developed regions.

Unlike other neurological disorders such as Parkinson?s disease or MS, the prevalence and outcome of Migraine may differ regionally depending on numerous external variable factors. These factors, he says, are often unique to developing countries.

Factors contributing to barriers of care include a population growth rate of 2% (compared to less than 0.5% in developed countries), a largely rural population living in areas far from medical clinics, and a literacy rate at 49%, half that of the developed world.

To add to the already substantial barriers, India is home to 10 religions and 24 languages, all of which make communicating health messages a tremendous challenge. Finally, with other serious diseases such as leprosy, HIV, malaria and tuberculosis plaguing the nation, headache disorders are neglected, despite the enormous number of sufferers and the huge economic and social burden they create.

Dr. Ravishankar says he will be looking to the Lifting the Burden Campaign as a first step in addressing these unique barriers to care. He was awarded the £500 Congress Prize for Best Platform Presentation.

Valerie South, R.N., who received the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Award at the XI Congress, also donated her £5,000 award to Lifting the Burden.

It's through the dedication and unbounded dedication of people such as Dr. Ravishankar, Mrs. South, and other advocatesthat the pain-free world we all can only dream of at this time sometimes seems a bit closer and clearer, a bit more like an image of the future than like a faint mirage somewhere on a horizon that we never reach. Our thanks go to all of those people and our congratulations to Dr. Ravishankar and Mrs. South.

Efforts such as this serve not only to address the needs of developing regions, but the needs of everyone impacted by headaches and Migraine. Increased awareness helps everyone everywhere. As Lifting the Burden grows and gains momentum, I'll keep you updated!

Photo © Michael John Coleman, 2003. All rights reserved. Used with the permission of Mr. Coleman.