WHO: Tens of Millions of People with Dementia Lack Care

GENEVA - The World Health Organization warns few governments are providing necessary care for many of the more than 55 million people living with dementia at a time when this debilitating brain condition is growing rapidly around the world.

A stock-taking analysis of WHO’s 2017 Global Action Plan on Dementia shows few states are implementing measures for caring and treating people living with this condition. It finds only a quarter of countries worldwide have a national policy or plan for supporting people with dementia and their families.  It warns too many governments are unprepared to deal with this growing public health problem, which affects 55 million people globally - more than 60 percent in low-and-middle-income countries. The World Health Organization estimates the number of people with dementia will rise to 78 million by 2030 and an estimated 139 million by 2050.  WHO estimates the global cost of dementia also is expected to balloon from the present $1.3 trillion to $2.8 trillion by 2030.