dementia

A woman receives a COVID-19 vaccination at a hospital in Kumasi, Ghana.
© UNICEF/Apagnawen Annankra

News in Brief 2 September 2021

2 September 2021
News in Brief
  • Africa set to miss key COVID-19 vaccination goal: WHO 
  • Tigray aid situation worsening, UN humanitarians warn
  • Dementia ‘not inevitable’ says WHO in prevention call 
Audio -
3'29"
Dementia is one of the major causes of disability and dependency among older people worldwide.
WHO/Cathy Greenblat

Improve support for rising numbers living with dementia, urges WHO

2 September 2021
Health

More than 55 million people globally are living with dementia, and that number continues to grow, according to a new UN health agency report launched on Thursday, which notes that only one-quarter of the world’s countries have national policies, strategies or support plans in place.

Destruction in Tripoli, Libya.
OCHA/Giles Clarke

News in Brief 14 May 2019

14 May 2019
News in Brief
  • Rising safety fears for civilians in Libya's capital
  • Healthier lifestyle choices can prevent dementia onset
  • Top UN human rights official calls for probe into Lebanon death
Audio -
4'8"
An elderly woman rides her bike in Croatia (13 February 2013). New World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines stress the value of regular exercise to prevent the onset of dementia.
World Bank/Miso Lisanin

UN health agency highlights lifestyle choices that can prevent onset of dementia, as millions more succumb each year

14 May 2019
Health

Key lifestyle choices such as getting regular exercise, not smoking or drinking too much, can reduce the risk of dementia and cognitive decline, the UN health agency said on Tuesday.

Ashwani, a caregiver at a centre in India, shares a laugh with Didi.
WHO/Cathy Greenblat

Dementia sufferers set to triple by 2050, warns WHO

7 December 2017
Interviews

The number of people who suffer from dementia is set to triple to more than 150 million by 2050, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.

Audio -
3'8"
Dementia is caused by a variety of diseases and injuries that affect the brain, such as Alzheimer’s disease or stroke, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
WHO/Cathy Greenblat

UN calls attention to rising number of dementia cases, urges early detection

11 April 2012
The number of people with dementia is projected to double to 65.7 million by 2030, the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) said today, noting that lack of diagnosis remains a major problem even in high-income countries, where only a fifth to half of cases are routinely recognized.