While 40 governments worldwide have so far developed national dementia plans, the proposal is yet to gain momentum in India. “The lack of an effective cure for dementia necessitates the urgent requirement of a comprehensive national action plan for dementia to address this public health challenge.”P.T. Sivakumar, professor and Head of the Geriatric Psychiatry Unit at NIMHANSNIMHANS and Dementia India Alliance (DIA) are working with the Karnataka government on chalking out a Karnataka State Dementia Action Plan. DIA president Radha S. Murthy said the State-level plan will align with WHO’s global action plan, positioning Karnataka as a pioneer in India to formulate a comprehensive action plan for dementia. Dr. Dey said the framework for the national dementia action plan needs to include awareness generation, early detection, clinical management and long-term care planning.

Source: The Hindu September 08, 2023 16:41 UTC