Without Borders

Editor's Blog

  • Health care Expenditure Partially Explains the Association Between Latitude and MS Prevalence: My Experience in Zambia
    Mashina Chomba, MBChB MMed Neurology I September 9, 2022


    The 3rd edition of the Atlas of Multiple Sclerosis published in 2020 states that there are 2.8 million people living with multiple Sclerosis (MS) worldwide with the highest incidence recorded in North America and Europe.1 The lowest occurrence of MS was shown to be in low-income and low-to-middle income regions such as Africa, where data were only reported from 15 countries. This is in keeping with long-held assertions that MS is rare in regions such as Africa and that latitude, race and vitamin D deficiency are significantly associated with MS prevalence. Interestingly, compared to the 2nd edition of the Atlas of MS, there were two more African countries reporting data in the 3rd edition, and the prevalence of MS in Africa increased by 3 people per 100,000 from 2013 to 2020.1, 2 Despite considerably higher increases in other regions over the same period, observations from Africa warrant further understanding of factors that affect distribution of MS in global regions.

    [Read More]

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  • Without Borders: Mission and Vision

     

     

     

    Mission Statement:  

    To provide important, engaging, accurate, timely, and balanced content on emerging and pressing issues at the intersection of neurology and global health for neurologists and people who provide neurologic care everywhere.

    Vision:

    To serve as an up-to-date resource for issues and opportunities related to the global practice of neurological care.

    To inspire future generations of neurologists to engage with global issues.

    To provide content about global neurology topics in a variety of formats, including blogs, posts, podcasts, and other media.

    To provide an inclusive platform to discuss issues in neurology relevant to countries of all income levels, emphasizing under-served and vulnerable populations in lower resourced environments globally.

    To share content that stimulates and facilitates discussions and collaborations that improve the status of neurological research and care globally.

    To curate existing resources and announcements of importance to neurologists globally.

    To respect, honor, empower and promote the lived experiences, perspectives, and voices of neurologists in clinical practice and research programs in lower resourced and/or lower income settings.

     

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  • Global Stuff You Should Know

    The ongoing humanitarian crisis in Ukraine is having a devastating effect on our patients and colleagues. Learn more here about what is happening and what you can do to help.

    Dispatches from Ukrainian Neurologists: ‘We Need Medicines for Our Patients and Peace in Our Country’ [Read Post]

     

     Could the 2020s herald a new era of neurological sciences in Africa? The Association of Future African Neurosurgeons’ Experience

    Dawin Sichimba, MD; Olaoluwa Ezekiel Dada, Medical Student; Yvan Zolo, MD; Lorraine Sebopelo, Medical Student; David Ulrich Dalle, Medical Student; Geneviève Endalle, Medical Student; Ulrick Sidney Kanmounye, MD; on behalf of the Association of Future African Neurosurgeons

    Changing the status quo of neurological sciences in Africa will require bold and immediate action. Fortunately, interest in the neurological sciences is at an all-time high in Africa, and AFAN is at the forefront of this revolutionary wave. [Read Post]

    Dawin Sichimba, MD; Olaoluwa Ezekiel Dada, Medical Student; Yvan Zolo, MD; Lorraine Sebopelo, Medical Student; David Ulrich Dalle, Medical Student; Geneviève Endalle, Medical Student; Ulrick Sidney Kanmounye, MD; Department of Research, Association of Futur

     

     

  • Podcast Transcripts

    January 21, 2020: Deanna Rae Saylor, MD, MHS of John Hopkins Department of Neurology interviews Laura Benjamin, MRCP, PhD, University of Liverpool Institute of Infection and Global Health; Robert J. Simister, MA, MRCP, University College London Hospitals, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery; and Orlando Swayne, MBBS, MRCP, PhD, University College London Hospitals, National Hospital for Neurology & Neurosurgery. Find the Transcript

    Interview Podcast Part 1

    Interview Podcast Part 2

    Transcript

    ARCHIVES

Podcasts

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  • Meet the Editors

    Announcing the new Co-Editors of the Neurology Without Borders Section: Farrah Mateen, MD, PhD, and Deanna Saylor, MD, MHS. Dr. Mateen and Dr. Saylor begin their terms on July 1. Thank you to outgoing Editor Gretchen Birbeck, MD, MPH, DTMH, FAAN, for her tenure and commitment to Without Borders as a resource for global neurology. Learn more about the new Co-Editors below:

    Farrah Mateen, MD, PhD

    Farrah Mateen, MD, PhD

    Biography

     

    Deanna Saylor, MD, MHS

    Deanna Saylor, MD, MHS

    Biography

  • Extra! Extra! Read All About It!

     

    Monthly Global Neurology Webinar

    Members of the AAN Global Health Section are hosting a Monthly Global Neurology Webinar which will be held on the second Tuesday of every month at 12:00PM (EDT). Webinars will consist of two presentations — either interesting case presentations or research-in-progress presentations — with time for questions and discussion about each. Our first webinar will be held on Tuesday, September 13th, at 12:00PM (EDT) via Zoom and will feature a case presentation from Zambia by Dr. Jeremy Tanner (University of Texas-San Antonio) and a research-in-progress presentation from Dr. Fiifi Duodu (Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana). Please join us and sign up to present at future meetings here.

    Zoom link

    Presentation sign up

    Johns Hopkins Global Neurology Fellowship!

    The Johns Hopkins Global Neurology Fellowship is a one-year program designed to give fellows first-hand experience in (1) caring for patients with neurologic disorders in a resource-limited setting; (2) developing clinical neurology training for medical students, internal medicine residents, and neurology residents in a resource-limited setting; and (3) completing clinical and/or epidemiologic research relevant to a resource-limited setting. Fellows will spend one year in Lusaka, Zambia, at the University of Zambia School of Medicine and the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) working in conjunction with Dr. Deanna Saylor. At the end of this one-year program, fellows will have obtained clinical, education, and research exposure in a resource-limited setting as well as significant experience in developing and working within cross-cultural teams. Please contact Dr. Saylor for more details. deanna@jhmi.edu