While a National Dementia Action Plan is yet to be formulated, Karnataka is working on making dementia a health priority. The State Health Department, in association with NIMHANS and Dementia India Alliance (DIA), is all set to launch a ‘Karnataka State Dementia Action Plan’.
Dementia is an umbrella term for several diseases affecting memory, other cognitive abilities and behaviour that interfere significantly with a person’s ability to maintain their activities of daily living.
Spelling out the State’s plan, Health and Family Welfare MInister Dinesh Gundu Rao in a message on X (formerly Twitter) said that Karnataka is committed to making dementia a health priority and is taking appropriate steps towards the same. He chaired a meeting last week to discuss the action plan.
Rajani P., State Deputy Director (Mental Health), said work on formulating the action plan is under progress. “We are working on the preliminary draft and it will soon be finalised,” she said.
Sources said the action plan is likely to be launched on September 21, which is observed as World Alzheimer’s Day. The month of September is observed as World Alzheimer’s awareness month.
“The idea is to involve a multi-stakeholder consortium including government departments, philanthropists and CSR partners. By next year, we expect this to gain momentum and hope to get some schemes included in the State budget,” sources said.
Prevalence of the condition
P.T. Sivakumar, professor and Head of Geriatric Psychiatry Unit at NIMHANS, said a multidisciplinary team of experts from NIMHANS Dementia Group is actively collaborating with DIA and the State Health Department to contribute for the preparation of the action plan.
“Recent estimates reveal a dementia prevalence rate of 7.4% among those aged 60 yers and above, translating to nearly 9 lakh Indians currently living with dementia. From an estimated 88 lakh in 2016, the prevalence of dementia is projected to increase to 1.7 crore by 2036. In Karnataka, the prevalence of this neurodegenerative brain disease is estimated to be around 5%, affecting approximately 3.5 lakh individuals,” he said, quoting a recent study.
DIA president Radha S. Murthy said the repercussions of dementia extend beyond individual health, straining the healthcare system, incurring substantial costs, and increasing mortality rates. “DIA underscores the need for a comprehensive national dementia plan. However, given the complexities of healthcare priorities in India, formulating such a plan may require time. Therefore, advocating for State-level policies on dementia is a practical approach to address the immediate challenges,” she said.
State programmes
“Karnataka has initiated various programmes and services for dementia through the District Mental Health Program, Karnataka Brain Health Initiative and Non-Communicable Disease Control Programme. Additionally, the presence of NIMHANS, a premier mental health institution, and dedicated service providers such as Nightingales Medical Trust and DIA further strengthens the care provision,” Dr. Murthy asserted.
“This 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. Murthy added.
Risk factors
Meera Pattabiraman, chairperson of Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India (ARDSI), said despite advances in dementia drug development, risk reduction remains the only globally accessible strategy available. Nearly 40% of projected dementia cases can be delayed or potentially even avoided by addressing the risk factors, she said.
The risk factors include smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, infrequent social contact, head injuries, and conditions including diabetes, hearing loss, depression, obesity, and hypertension.
