Kathmandu, September 21

The Ministry of Heath organised an awareness program today to mark World Alzheimer’s Day at Basantapur Durbar Square.

The event was aimed at raising awareness amongst the general people about the disease.

The ministry plans to hold month-long campaign to raise awareness about the disease. Dr Dipendra Raman Singh, NCASC director, said Alzheimer’s Society Nepal is planning to open a ‘memory clinic’ in Grande International Hospital for Alzheimer patients .

According to the census of 2011, about 4.4 per cent of the population in Nepal is estimated to be more than 65 years old, with a high percentage diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia causing problems with memory, thinking and behavior. It usually develops slowly and gets worse over time.

Dr Bishwa Bandhu Sharma said the number of Alzheimer’s patients has been on the rise in recent times. He said, “Alzheimer’s is not a normal part of aging, although the greatest known risk factor is said to be age, and the majority of people with Alzheimer’s are older than 60 years of age.”

Sharma shared that those with Alzheimer’s live an average of eight years after their symptoms become noticeable to others, but survival can range from four to 20 years, depending on age and other health conditions. Sadly, there is no exact data on Alzheimer’s patients in Nepal as no survey has been carried out as yet.

The World Alzheimer Report 2016, a groundbreaking report about Alzheimer’s disease, released by Alzheimer’s disease International estimates that 47 million people live with dementia worldwide. This number is projected to increase to more than 131 million by 2050.