Urgent Update: Africa Launches 6×5 Plan to Combat Dementia Crisis

URGENT UPDATE: Africa is stepping up to combat the looming dementia crisis as new projections reveal that over 1 million people in South Africa will live with dementia by 2050. This alarming statistic mirrors the entire population of Eastern Cape’s Nelson Mandela Bay. In a significant move, Professor Stephen Tollman from Wits University has joined the newly established Africa Task Force on Brain Health, initiated by the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative.

This task force aims to implement the ambitious 6×5 plan, a five-year framework designed to enhance Africa’s preparedness for neurodegenerative diseases. The initiative was recently highlighted in a groundbreaking article published in the prestigious journal Nature Medicine, linking brain health to economic resilience.

“Brain health runs through every stage of life and every sector of society,” Tollman stated. He emphasized that integrating brain health into existing societal frameworks can protect ageing citizens while sustaining economies. As Africa’s older population grows rapidly, the need for a coordinated response to the challenges of dementia becomes critical.

The 6×5 plan outlines six immediate priorities for the continent, fostering a multilevel and multisectoral approach. The first priority is to enhance brain health advocacy and literacy while combating stigma. The second focuses on recognizing brain health as a catalyst for socioeconomic transformation.

The third priority aims to leverage existing resources, including infectious disease infrastructure and community health workers, to improve dementia detection and care. Mainstream prevention programs addressing hypertension, diabetes, and obesity are also vital in maintaining cognitive health.

Breaking down data silos and sharing evidence across countries constitutes the fourth priority, ensuring that policy decisions are based on accurate data. The fifth priority highlights the transformative potential of Africa’s mobile technology, utilizing digital health tools and artificial intelligence to reach millions affordably.

Lastly, the sixth priority calls for sustainable funding, integrating brain health into universal health coverage and national development goals. “Africa can realize this plan, using much of what it already has,” Tollman asserted.

The SAMRC/Wits-Agincourt Research Unit has been at the forefront of health and socio-demographic surveillance for over three decades, documenting how individuals aged 40 and older navigate life in resource-limited settings. Their research is crucial in understanding risk factors influencing cognitive function, as they develop context-specific cognitive assessment tests.

As Africa faces an unprecedented rise in conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and stroke—key risk factors for dementia—the urgency of this plan cannot be overstated. The research indicates that brain health is shaped throughout life, starting from maternal and child health, reinforced by education, and supported during adulthood and later life.

The 6×5 plan serves as a vital roadmap for the next five years, aiming to turn the tide on the growing dementia crisis. With coordinated efforts, Africa has the potential to transform ageing into a source of resilience rather than vulnerability, leading the world in innovative, community-driven approaches to brain health.

Stay tuned for more updates as this critical initiative unfolds. This is not just a health issue—it’s a matter of economic and social prosperity for the future of Africa.