‘Alzheimer’s may threaten low, middle income countries’

World’s second richest man, Bill Gates has predicted that the number of people living with Alzheimer could skyrocket in low and middle income countries.

The world richest billionaire stated this in his recent tweet monitored by BusinessDay.

According to Alzheimer’s Association, the disease accounts for 60 to 80 per cent of dementia cases as symptoms usually develop slowly and get worst over time, becoming severe enough to interfere with daily task.

Alzheimer’s is a type, and the most common form of dementia a general term for memory loss and other cognitive abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life.

“Keeping your brain active is a mental stimulation and it is important to have a healthy brain in order to lower the risk of dementia” said Richard Adebayo, a consultant psychiatric and clinical psychologist, at Federal neuropsychiatric hospital, Yaba.

Richard Adebayo explaining the impact of Alzheimer’s said the burden of the disease will continue to increase and put added pressures on the inadequate resources available to tackle the situation.

“The condition of Alzheimer is the most common form of dementia; signs could be traced by Language problems, inability to recognize objects and faces, abnormal form of memory loss, as the condition worsens, the patient may experience mood swings, disorientation and behavioural issues”

“In many cases, the patient suffer disrupted sleep problem, the rest you get at night is important for normal function of the brain. A 2013 study also suggested that reading, writing and other brain stimulating activities could be useful in warding off cognitive decline’’ Adebayo said.

Also, in a recent report from Reuters, Gate announced that he would be donating $50 million from his personal funds to the dementia discovery fund, a venture -organization that works with both the UK government and drug companies to look for novel approaches to tackle the most common form of dementia.

Additionally, he said he will donate another $50 million to smaller start-ups researching the disease.

Olajide Williams, a neurology and secretary, Board of Trustees of Gabi Williams Alzheimer’s Foundation (GWAF), said, that the foundation is aimed at developing local case studies of Alzheimer’s disease and partnering with the public health institutes to promote the awareness through traditional and social media.

“ we are ready to work with institutions of higher learning to incorporate the study of Alzheimer’s disease into curricula; create and disseminate an inventory of caregiver agencies in Nigeria that are equipped to support families and patients living with the disease: and conduct an inventory of physician experts and local researchers into Alzheimer’s Disease and related disorders”, William said.