The Global Coalition for TBI co-hosted a side event at the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva on 21st May 2025. The Coalition joined partner institutions worldwide in advocating for the recognition of traumatic brain injury (TBI) as both a chronic and notifiable condition, aiming to improve global surveillance, policy integration, and long-term care for TBI patients.

Aim of the Event

The event is part of efforts to support a resolution: sponsored and attended by the Ministry of Health of Pakistan, to recognise traumatic brain injury as a chronic and notifiable condition. The event, featuring a range of talks from experts and people with lived experiences of TBI, brought together an expanding global interdisciplinary network, uniting efforts as the Global Coalition for TBI. We will now work together with member states, led by Pakistan, to prepare a resolution to address this topic.

TBI affects approximately 69 million people worldwide each year, with youth under 40 experiencing heightened vulnerability due to traffic incidents, violence, and sports injuries. At the same time, the elderly are at significant risk from falls. TBI is an acute event, but also carries long term consequences for survivors and their families.

TBI care requires coordinated international policies, improved surveillance, robust acute care as well as comprehensive rehabilitation programmes. Without intervention, economic losses due to TBI are projected to exceed $1.1 trillion by 2030, deepening existing health disparities and placing significant strain on fragile healthcare infrastructures worldwide.