Discuss the urgency to include Alzheimer dementia as a national health and social priority in India where geriatric services are under-developed and talking of mental health issues carries stigma.
Refer – The Indian Express
IAS Parliament 6 years
KEY POINTS
Alzheimer’s dementia
· It is a progressive, degenerative brain disease affecting a person’s memory, thinking, and the ability to interact socially.
· People under the age of 65 years also are prone to the disease which is known as early onset of Alzheimer’s.
WHO goals
· WHO global plan on dementia calls on governments to meet targets for the advancement of dementia awareness, risk reduction, diagnosis, care and treatment, support for care partners and research.
· Only 29 out of 194 WHO member countries have a plan of action on dementia, with India not having taken the initiative yet.
Urgency to treat dementia
· There is yet no cure for dementia and scientists are still searching for cause of this disease.
· Current treatments merely address the symptoms and not the underlying biological cause of the disease.
· As per the India Dementia Report 2010 about Rs 43,000 annually per family is spent to take care of a person affected by dementia, the cost is high for many.
· As the ageing population is rapidly increasing, the economic and social burden of the disease is going to rise in the coming years.
· It is of great concern that in India many young people migrate leaving older parents behind to fend for themselves.
· Residential care centres for dementia-affected people are limited.
Solutions
· Governments have to frame policy on dementia which must be implemented in all states and funded and monitored by the health ministry.
· Governments must also check the possibility of roping in PPP model in addressing dementia.
· E.g. Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India (ARDSI) have been successful at initiating a Kerala State Initiative on Dementia which is the first public-private partnership for dementia care and awareness.
· Legal provisions to safeguard and protect the rights, dignity and respect of those affected and in minimising economic costs are the core area India need to address.
· Training of care givers and initiatives for research on the disease is the need of the hour.
· Support from the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment becomes crucial in India as the disease has many social aspects which need awareness and service facilities at the community level.
