As the world marks its annual Alzheimer’s Day tomorrow, Gabi-Williams Alzheimer’s Foundation (GWAF), a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) that has been in the forefront of the fight against the terrible disease has called for early diagnosis of dementia by medical practitioners.
The foundation said this would help reduce the rise of the disease cases in Nigeria, Africa and the entire world.
This call was made by the NGO on its World Alzeimer’s Awareness Day message signed and made available to the press by Ms Olaotun Williams –a trustee of the board of the outfit.
The group said that Alzheimer which is the most common form of dementia is conventionally diagnosed only when a person’s cognitive decline impairs daily functioning and characterized by cortical amyloid plagues and neurofibrillary tangles.
It further pointed out that dementia is being under-diagnosed and is not normal part of ageing but very common in people from 65years and above, noting however, that by the time of diagnosis, patients are already at late stage of the disease process.
The foundation said that there is no single cure to alter the progression of dementia and that people living with the disease are usually treated symptomatically.
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GWAF it can be acknowledged has been undertaking and stepping up interventions and public awareness campaigns on Alzheimer.
The foundation, this year held a series of zoom forums occasioned by COVID-19 pandemic aimed at training GWAF members who are themselves carers in order to improve the quality of care being provided for people living with dementia.
The latest forum was GWAF 2020 Memorial Lecture titled. “Caring for the Carers II” held on September 11 to mark the late Dr. Gabi Williams birthday.
The virtual lecture which was streamed on social media was delivered by Prof. Jide Gabi-Williams, GWAF’S Board of trustee’s secretary.
