How the Middle East is pushing back against dementia

Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are among the cruellest illnesses. Not only do they rob sufferers of their personality, independence and memories, those closest to them are affected, too. The costs and losses are personal but also societal. According to World Health Organisation figures from 2019, about half of the $1.3 trillion that dementia costs the global economy is attributable to unpaid care provided by family members and friends. Women are disproportionally affected, providing 70 per cent of care hours for those living with the condition.

For ageing societies, dementia poses a serious challenge for the future. Due to falling birth rates and people living longer, the Middle East has one of the fastest-ageing populations in the world. A report released last year by Alzheimer’s Disease International found that dementia rates in the Middle East are expected to increase by 367 per cent by 2050, affecting 13.8 million people. It is fitting, therefore, that some of the most advanced work to tackle these diseases is being supported by research from the region.

This week, The National reported that scientists from the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative, an international initiative to promote brain health, recently met UAE health officials. Amond the advances these experts examined is data from the Emirati Genome Programme.