From Local Pain to Global Priority—How India Can Change Migraine Care

ABSTRACT Migraine is now recognized as the second leading cause of disability worldwide. With over 213 million individuals affected, India accounts for nearly one‐sixth of the global migraine population. Despite this, migraine remains overlooked in national health policy, with limited public awareness, inadequate clinical training, and uneven access to effective treatment. This personal view outlines four critical areas for reform: awareness, capacity building, treatment access, and research investment. The discussion calls for integration of migraine into the national agenda for non‐communicable diseases, in alignment with the World Health Organization Intersectoral Global Action Plan on neurological disorders. A structured national strategy using existing platforms such as the Ayushman Bharat program can provide a scalable model for other low‐ and middle‐income countries. Addressing migraine in India represents not only a national health need but also a shared global responsibility under the framework of United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
World Medical & Health Policy
Published
2026-01-12
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/wmh3.70059
Primary Topic
Migraine and Headache Studies
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

From Local Pain to Global Priority—How India Can Change Migraine Care

Murugesan Arumugam
World Medical & Health Policy
Migraine and Headache Studies
article

From Local Pain to Global Priority—How India Can Change Migraine Care

Murugesan Arumugam
article en

Abstract

ABSTRACT Migraine is now recognized as the second leading cause of disability worldwide. With over 213 million individuals affected, India accounts for nearly one‐sixth of the global migraine population. Despite this, migraine remains overlooked in national health policy, with limited public awareness, inadequate clinical training, and uneven access to effective treatment. This personal view outlines four critical areas for reform: awareness, capacity building, treatment access, and research investment. The discussion calls for integration of migraine into the national agenda for non‐communicable diseases, in alignment with the World Health Organization Intersectoral Global Action Plan on neurological disorders. A structured national strategy using existing platforms such as the Ayushman Bharat program can provide a scalable model for other low‐ and middle‐income countries. Addressing migraine in India represents not only a national health need but also a shared global responsibility under the framework of United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3.

World Medical & Health PolicyVol. 18(1)
Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (IN)
Partnerships for the goals
Openalex Percentile: Top 90%
Migraine and Headache Studies
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.