Behavioural Bytes Archives
Every budget speech is packed with numbers: tax revenues, deficit projections, growth targets. But behind those numbers are people. And those people are powered by brains – billions of neurons firing, making decisions, solving problems, driving the economy forward. So why do we so rarely talk about the health of those brains as an economic priority?
One in three people will experience a neurological disorder. Almost half of us will face a mental health challenge at some point in our lives. Yet mental and neurological health remain glaringly underfunded, despite their massive impact on productivity and national wellbeing.
While the 2025 Budget tabled in Parliament last week reaffirmed a commitment to improving healthcare access in South Africa, mental and neurological health continue to be sidelined, treated as secondary concerns rather than economic drivers.
We know better. Studies show us that when brain health is neglected, economies suffer. And the costs add up, not just in healthcare but in lost potential. While trillions of dollars are spent every year on neurological and mental disorders, a $200 billion funding gap keeps growing, deepening the loss of what researchers call ‘brain capital’.
So what can we do? The first step is simpler than we might think: make knowledge about brain health – brain health literacy – more accessible. We need to cut through the medical jargon and focus on insights people can actually use. Sleep sharpens memory. Good nutrition improves mood. Managing stress improves focus. These are not abstract ideas – they are the building blocks for better thinking, learning and decision-making that directly translate to economic output.
Investing in brain health is not just about personal wellbeing. It's about building a stronger, more resilient society. A workforce that can think clearly, adapt and innovate is one that can drive long-term economic growth. For that to happen, we need to start thinking of brain health as infrastructure: something to be maintained, strengthened and prioritised. Otherwise we risk leaving one of our greatest national assets – the collective power of our human minds – off the balance sheet entirely.
