Commentary Unpicking the Gordian knot: A systems approach to traumatic brain injury care in low-income and middle-income countries

The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study showed that in 2010 trauma accounted for 9% of the world's deaths - around 5 million people - while also resulting in millions of non-fatal injuries with resultant disability. Around 90% of injury-related deaths occurred in low and middle income countries (LMICs) which also saw the greatest rise in these injuries due to road traffic collisions.1 More recent Global Health Estimates from the World Health Organisation for 2015 show a similar picture.2 As a disease subtype, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is one of the most devastating, with clinical, societal, and economic sequelae.3 It is also startlingly common with an estimated 50 million or more cases per year; enough for half of the world's population to suffer a TBI in their lifetime and again disproportionately affecting lower-income regions.