In Japan it is estimated to affect 8.4% of adults. Migraine appears less prevalent, but still common, elsewhere in Asia (3% of men and 10% of women) and in Africa (3–7% in community-based stud-ies). Again in these areas, major studies have yet to be con-ducted. The higher rates in women everywhere (2–3 times those in men) are hormonally driven. Tension-type headache (TTH) is the most common head-ache disorder (61). Most is episodic, and this subtype affects two-thirds of adult males and over 80% of females in developed countries, although few seriously. In its chronic subtype, in contrast, it is present on more days than not and is disabling. Chronic tension-type headache overlaps with and is sometimes indistinguishable from other forms of chronic daily headache, some of which are unrelentingly present throughout every day. Estimates of the prevalence of this group of conditions in Europe and the United States are as high as 1 in 25 of the adult population (62).Not only is headache painful but, depending on its inten-sity and other symptoms that may accompany it, it is also disabling. Migraine affects people particularly during their productive years and, in a survey in the United States, 80% of people with migraine reported disability because of it. Extrapolation from migraine prevalence and attack inci-dence data suggests that 3000 migraine attacks occur every day for each million of the general population so it is unsur-prising that, worldwide, migraine is 19th among all causes of years of life lost to disability (YLDs) (63). As well as suffering directly from its symptoms, people with migraine consistently score highly on scales of general physical and mental ill-health. Chronic tension-type headache and other forms of chronic daily headache are associated with long-term morbidity. Repeated headache attacks, and often the constant fear of the next, damage family life, social life and employment. For example, social activity and work capacity are reduced in almost all migraine sufferers and in 60% of tension-type headache sufferers. The financial cost of headache arises partly from direct treatment costs but much more from loss of work-time and productivity. In the United Kingdom, for example, 25 million workdays or schooldays are lost ever year because of migraine alone. A recent United States study measured indirect costs in a managed-care population at over US$ 4500 per sufferer per year. Tension-type head-ache and chronic daily headache may together cause losses of similar magnitude. In the 15 European Union countries prior to enlargement, the annual cost of all headache has been estimated at € 10 000-30 000 million. Therefore, while headache rarely signals serious underlying illness, it is high among causes of consulting both general practitioners and neurologists. Over a period of five years, one in six patients aged 16–65 years in a large general prac-tice in the United Kingdom consulted because of headache. A survey of neurologists found that up to one third of all their patients consulted for headache – more than for any other single complaint. Despite headache being a common occurrence, there is good evidence that large numbers of people troubled by it do not receive effective health care. In many countries, headache conditions are not recognized as diseases but only as self-limiting and unimportant symptoms, deserving no allocation at all of resources. A consensus conference organ-ized by the American and International Headache Societies concluded that migraine is underdiagnosed and undertreat-ed throughout the world. Nevertheless there are effective treatments. It is possible to alleviate much of the symptom burden of headache and thereby mitigate both the humanitarian and the financial costs. Crucially, the common headache disorders require no special investigation and their diagnosis and management call only for skills generally available to physicians. Most headache can be optimally managed in primary care, if the following barriers are removedParkinson’s disease occurs worldwide: it affects all ethnic groups and socioeconomic classes. Besides the disa-bling motor symptoms, patients have non-motor symptoms such as anxiety and depression. The Global Parkinson’s disease Survey in six countries demonstrated that depres-sion in Parkinson’s disease is a significant factor affecting the health-related quality of life (65). Although there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease, there have been advances in its management through drugs, rehabilitative measures and surgery. To achieve health for all, it is essential that we have a true appraisal of the epidemiological aspects of Parkin-son’s disease and resources available in each region. Most epidemiological studies have shown an estimated inci-dence ranging from 16 to 19 per 100 000 people per year (66), while estimated crude prevalence is 160 per 100 000 people per year (67). There are regional variations which may, in part, be attributable to different methods of case-finding, diagnostic criteria and the age of the population. There is clearly a need for well-defined epidemiological studies, especially from the developing regions of the world. Parkinson’s disease poses a significant public health burden, which is likely to increase in the coming years. Along with other neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s dis-ease, Parkinson’s disease is expected to surpass cancer as the second most common cause of death by the year 2040. The direct and indirect costs for the care of Parkinsonian patients, including cost of drug treatment (about US$ 1100 million worldwide) can be substantial (68). The incidence and prevalence of Parkinson’s disease increase with advanc-ing age, occurring in about 1% of people over the age of 65 years. With increase in life expectancy, future demo-graphic projections predict a larger population over the age of 60 years in the developing regions, with a corresponding increase in the number of Parkinson patients. For delivery of neurological care to people with Parkinson’s disease, adequate human resources and other facilities are required. These are regrettably deficient, especially in the developing regions. For instance, there are only about 850 neurologists for the care of over 1000 million people in India (1 neurologist for 1.2 million inhabitants). These neurologists are mainly located in the cities, whereas nearly two thirds of India’s population reside in rural areas. It is therefore necessary to seek the help of primary care physi-cians for the care of patients. Medical education should be suitably modified so that graduate physicians are able to recognize primary symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and impart education about this illness to patients and their families. They should be able to initiate treatment with the appropriate anti-Parkinsonian drug and refer suitable cases to community hospitals in semi-urban areas or to large urban hospitals.