Dementia patients deprived of proper treatment

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Dementia patients deprived of proper treatment

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The WHO new report has called on nations to recognize dementia as a public health crisis.

13 September,2012 07:35 pm

Pakistan is without any National Dementia Strategy even after 65 year of its establishment.According to facts and figures, about one people are suffering from this disease and their number is increasing with the passage of time.This has been said in a report Dementia: A Public Health Priority, by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Alzheimers Disease International (ADI) today on Thursday.Hina Rabbani Khar, Foreign Minister of Pakistan launched the report as a chief guest along with the Australian High Commissioner to Pakistan Peter Heyward.Dr. Yasmin Raashid, Patron of Alzheimers Pakistan told the participants of the launch that currently, Pakistan does not have a national dementia plan in place and this report could be used as a starting point for planning and implementing dementia care services in the country. With its devastating impact on people with dementia, their families, their community and health system, dementia represents not only a public health crisis but a social and fiscal nightmare as well, she added.Around the world a new _case of dementia arises every four seconds. Thats a staggering-growth rate, equivalent to 7.7 million new cases of dementia every y:ear- the same size as the populations of Switzerland.Dr Rashid said that this report will prompt the government to adapt its guidelines into official national plans. Since we know the prevalence of the disease will explode in this century as we all live longer - the risk of dementia is 1 in 8 for those over 65 and a shocking 1 in 2.5 for those over 85 - its impact will become greater as the decades go by.Our current health systems simply cannot cope with the explosion of the dementia crisis. The report also shows that there is a lot that can be done to improve the lives of people with dementia and their carers, she said.Cost of Dementia care globally is 604 billion US dollars, which is egualent to one percent of global GDP. If Dementia was a country, it would have been the 18th largest economy in the world. She further said that Alzheimers disease is like a ticking time bomb since there a rapid growth in aging populations worldwide, said in the report.The number of people living with dementia worldwide, estimated at 35.6 million in 2010 is set to nearly double every 20 years, reaching 65.7 million in 2030 and 115.4 million in 2050.Given these numbers, Alzheimers, among all non-communicable diseases, demands our urgent and serious focus. We must find the political will and accompanying funding for earlier diagnosis and management of the disease.There is an increasing body of evidence that the risk factors that can increase a persons chances of developing Alzheimers disease are the same as those that cause many other non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and lung disease. By working together to address these common risk factors, the global health community can make great inroads into the burden of disease caused by Alzheimers disease and these other NCDs, that together cause 3 in 5 of all deaths worldwide today.Speaking at the occasion, Mr Hussain Jafri, Secretary General of Alzheimers Pakistan said that the report recognises the size and complexity of the dementia challenge and urges countries to view dementia as a critical public health priority.Currently, Pakistan does not have a national dementia plan in place and this report could be used as a starting point for planning and implementing dementia care services in the country.Alzheimers Pakistan hopes that this report will prompt the government to adapt its guidelines into official national plans. Since we know the prevalence of the disease will explode in this century as we all live longer - the risk of dementia is 1 in 8 for those over 65 and a shocking 1 in 2.5 for those over 85 - its impact will become greater as the decades go by.Mr Munawar Rana, President of Alzheimers Pakistan, Rawalpindi Chapter welcomed the guests and Mr Zia Rizvi, President of Alzheimers Pakistan presented the vote of thanks.People live for many years after the onset of symptoms of dementia. With appropriate support, many can and should be enabled to continue to engage and contribute within society and have a good quality of life.