A unanimous global plan on dementia was adopted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) at the 70th session of the World Health Assembly in Geneva. The plan is the latest response to the current efforts deemed “unsustainable” by Paola Barbarino, CEO of Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI).
Dementia affects 50 million people worldwide, with this figure expected to triple by 2050. The plan seeks to encourage more governments to pull their weight in implementing and funding policies on dementia, with only 29 out of 194 WHO member states having a plan of their own. It will also target key areas of the disease, such as awareness, risk reduction, diagnosis, care and treatment, support for care partners and research.
“Governments need to act now. We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to dramatically change the attitude to dementia from fear and inaction to fighting back, understanding, inclusion and support,” said Barbarino.
Source: www.alz.co.uk
Photo: Dementia Alliance International
