Health stakeholders in Nigeria are calling for early diagnosis of dementia, emphasizing that it can help eliminate stigma and discrimination surrounding the condition. They also stress that early diagnosis can build confidence in treatment and recovery. This call was made during a roundtable workshop in Abakaliki, organized by the Nutrition for Better Economy, Gender, Lifestyle and Agricultural Foundation (NEEGLAR Foundation) to mark 2026 World Alzheimer’s Day.
The 2026 campaign, coordinated globally by Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI), focuses on tackling stigma and discrimination surrounding dementia while highlighting the benefits of timely diagnosis. According to ADI, a diagnosis can open access to treatment, care, support, and opportunities for individuals and families to plan for the future. The theme of the 2026 campaign is “The Earlier You Know, The More You Can Do: A Dementia Diagnosis Matters.”
The Executive Director of NEEGLAR Foundation, Mrs. Chinenye Azu Udu, emphasized that dementia should be understood as a medical condition, not attributed to witchcraft, punishment, or regarded as an inevitable part of aging. She noted that memory loss and other persistent changes in thinking, behavior, and everyday functioning should not be ignored and that seeking professional medical assessment is crucial.
Mrs. Udu explained that dementia affects memory, thinking, and everyday life, while Alzheimer’s disease remains the most common cause of dementia. She added that NEEGLAR Foundation believes that public awareness should translate into practical action, and the organization has been taking dementia education into communities, training Community Health Extension Workers, and conducting sensitization activities.
The Foundation is promoting memory screening and nutrition screening during the 2026 World Alzheimer’s Day observance, stressing that healthy aging requires attention to both cognitive and physical well-being. Mrs. Udu urged people to seek help early, emphasizing the need to replace myths with knowledge, stigma with compassion, and silence with open conversations about dementia.
Health authorities stress that dementia is not an inevitable part of normal aging, although the condition becomes more common with advancing age. They emphasize that Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia and that early or timely diagnosis can allow individuals and families to access relevant information, support, and care.
The World Alzheimer’s Day observance provided an opportunity for NEEGLAR Foundation to bring the message closer to communities and emphasize the connection between awareness, nutrition, healthy aging, screening, and access to appropriate care. The event featured lectures, interactive sessions, memory, and vital signs checks, and was attended by many elderly people, persons living with disabilities, and health practitioners.
Key points
- - Early diagnosis of dementia can help eliminate stigma and improve treatment and recovery. - Dementia is not an inevitable part of normal aging, but it becomes more common with advancing age. - Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia.
