New Delhi, Oct 12: India needs a national strategy on ageing and mental health to fight the rising cases of Alzheimer’s disease in the country, according to health experts.

In an editorial published in the Indian Journal of Public Health, experts from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, along with M M Medical College and Hospital, Himachal Pradesh, argued the need to implement a comprehensive National Dementia Plan aligned with WHO’s global framework.

“India needs to view Alzheimer’s not just as a clinical issue but as part of a comprehensive national strategy on ageing and mental health. Integrating cognitive health screening in primary care, investing in long-term care models, building caregiver support systems, and strengthening research on risk factors are key steps forward,” Dr K Madan Gopal, one of the authors, shared in a post on professional networking platform LinkedIn.

“The call is clear: We must act early, invest smartly, and plan humanely. Alzheimer’s care must become part of our larger health systems strengthening and social protection agenda -- ensuring dignity, inclusion, and support for every ageing Indian,” he added.

As per estimates, 5.3 million Indians are currently living with dementia, a figure projected to almost triple by the year 2050, mainly due to an ageing population.

The experts urged the need to integrate Alzheimer’s care with the Ayushman Arogya Mandirs.

“Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (expanded Health and Wellness Centres) present a unique opportunity to integrate screening, counseling, and referral for dementia at the community level, making care more accessible and acceptable,” the editorial said.

The experts mentioned the potential of memory clinics, telemedicine platforms such as eSanjeevani, to tackle Alzheimer's.

In addition, they also contended the need to boost investment for people affected by the disease, and to take lessons from the successes seen with large-scale public-health interventions, ranging from HPV vaccination pilots to mission-mode nutrition campaigns and the nationwide Covid-19 vaccination drive.

The experts called for a national dementia strategy "to combine mass awareness campaigns with active community participation to reduce stigma and promote early help-seeking; standardised guidelines for screening, diagnosis, and care at every level of the health system to ensure uniform quality; and public–private partnerships to expand the reach of memory clinics, develop affordable assistive technologies, and train caregivers".

“Together, such an approach can accelerate the creation of a comprehensive and inclusive framework for dementia care in India,” they added.

(IANS)

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