Lack of awareness leaves patients vulnerable: speakers

More than 1.1 million elderly people in Bangladesh are suffering from dementia, with women comprising 75 percent of patients, speakers said at a seminar yesterday. They warned that the prevalence of dementia is rising, yet visible initiatives to address the issue remain scarce.
The seminar, titled “Dementia Care and Conservation of Universal Human Rights”, was jointly organised by the National Skill Development Authority and the Alzheimer Society of Bangladesh at Biniog Bhaban in Agargaon.
Dr Halida Hanum Akhter, senior faculty member at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, presented findings from a 2020 study by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) and icddr,b.
She said that of the 1.1 million dementia patients, 2,80,000 were men (24.5 percent) and 8,30,000 were women (75.5  percent). By 2025, the number is projected to exceed 1.3 million.
Dr Halida also cited Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics data from 2015, saying 72 percent of women experience domestic violence, and 42 percent of teenage wives face abuse. She stressed that both physical and psychological abuse contribute to dementia, alongside longer life expectancy, with old age being the primary risk factor.
She called for a combined effort from families, society, the private sector, and the government to improve old-age healthcare and reduce the burden of dementia.
Speaking as chief guest, Nurjahan Begum, health adviser, emphasised the need for more research. “Once we have an accurate picture, we can address the issue effectively,” she said.
Highlighting the lack of awareness, she added, “If we organise meetings, seminars, and visit rural households to raise awareness about dementia, we will see positive results.”
She also called for training caregivers to provide compassionate and effective care.
Azizul Haque, secretary general of the Alzheimer Society of Bangladesh, in his keynote speech said that 55 million people suffer from dementia worldwide, a number expected to triple by 2050.
Despite constitutional provisions for senior citizens’ rights, the absence of clear policies or legal frameworks worsens challenges, he added.
NSDA Executive Chairman Nasreen Afroz chaired the seminar, where Prof Nazmul Hossain, director general of the Directorate General of Medical Education, and others also spoke.