Global dementia action plan welcomed by health experts
A global action plan on dementia has been endorsed by members states of the World Health Organization (WHO) and welcomed by charities and health experts.
Around 47 million people have dementia worldwide, with nearly 9.9 million new cases each year. Nearly 60% of people with dementia live in low- and middle-income countries, according to the WHO.
The Global Plan of Action on the Public Health Response to Dementia 2017-2025 was adopted by WHO member states at the 70th World Health Assembly (WHA) last month.
Dementia expert and adviser to the Dementia Services Development Trust June Andrews said: ‘The plan is good. What matters most is to implement the research that we already know.
Need for leadership
‘We are currently assaulted by too many popular interventions that are crowd pleasing but not backed up by evidence of improvement in the lives of those affected by dementia.
'We need to focus on what really makes a difference.’
The plan aims to improve the lives of people with dementia, their families and carers, while decreasing the impact of dementia on communities and countries.
The WHA, the decision-making body of the WHO, called on the WHO to offer technical support, tools and guidance to member states.
Alzheimer's Research UK director of policy and strategy Matthew Norton said the plan was ‘an incredibly positive step forward’ but warned about the need for leadership and coordination.
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