ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE, DEMENTIA, AND THE EFFORTS TO INCREASE LIFE EXPECTANCY IN AFRICA AND THE DEVELOPING WORLD [current concerns 2-021]

 

28 October 2025 / current concerns 2-021

 

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ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE, DEMENTIA, AND THE EFFORTS TO INCREASE

LIFE EXPECTANCY IN AFRICA AND THE DEVELOPING WORLD

 

by Dr. Uzodinma Adirieje, FAHOA

 

+2348034725905 (WhatsApp) / EMAIL: druzoadirieje2015@gmail.com

 CEO/Programmes Director, Afrihealth Optonet Association (AHOA) – CSOs Network and Think-tank

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INTRODUCTION

As many countries in Africa and the broader developing world succeed in reducing child mortality and controlling infectious diseases, a parallel shift is emerging: a growing population of older adults living longer lives. This demographic transition is a triumph of global health, yet it brings new challenges — notably a rising burden of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Addressing cognitive decline is now a global health imperative if we are to ensure that increased life expectancy translates into longer, healthier, and more dignified lives.

 

UNDERSTANDING THE CHALLENGE

 

Dementia is not a single disease but an umbrella term for disorders that impair memory, thinking, behaviour, and the ability to perform everyday activities. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia. While age remains the strongest risk factor, other contributors include cardiovascular disease, diabetes, low education, hearing loss, depression, and lifestyle factors. In Africa and other low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where more than two-thirds of people with dementia live, detection and diagnosis rates remain woefully low. Factors such as limited access to specialist services, low awareness, stigma, and the misconception that cognitive decline is a ‘normal’ part of ageing delay care. Families shoulder most of the caregiving responsibilities, often without training or financial support, creating significant social and economic strain.

 

WHY DEMENTIA MATTERS FOR LIFE EXPECTANCY EFFORTS

 

Increasing life expectancy is about more than adding years; it is about preserving health, productivity, and quality of life as people age. Dementia profoundly affects independence, increases the risk of disability, and raises health-care costs. If left unaddressed, rising dementia prevalence can reverse gains made in healthy ageing and undermine economic development through lost productivity and escalating care needs. Moreover, dementia complicates the management of other chronic conditions. People living with dementia are less likely to receive preventive care, adhere to treatment plans for hypertension, diabetes, or HIV, and are more vulnerable to complications. Integrating dementia care into broader health-system strengthening and chronic-care models is therefore essential to sustain improvements in life expectancy.

 

CURRENT EFFORTS AND GAPS

 

Several encouraging initiatives are underway across Africa and the developing world. Community-based screening programs, primary-care training modules, and public-awareness campaigns are beginning to improve early identification. Non-governmental organizations and civil-society networks are mobilizing caregivers and advocating for social protection policies. Research collaborations are also expanding our understanding of region-specific risk factors and culturally appropriate interventions. Yet significant gaps persist. Diagnostic capacity and specialist services are concentrated in urban centers, leaving rural populations underserved. National health policies often omit dementia entirely or include it as a marginal item within non-communicable disease strategies without dedicated resources. Social safety nets and caregiver support mechanisms are limited, pushing families into poverty. Finally, limited local research funding constrains the generation of context-specific evidence and the design of scalable interventions.

 

PRACTICAL STRATEGIES TO ACCELERATE PROGRESS

 

1. Integrate dementia into primary healthcare: Training community health workers and primary-care clinicians to recognize cognitive impairment and provide basic management and referral can expand access rapidly. Screening tools should be brief, validated for local languages, and feasible in low-resource settings.

2. Expand community-based support and caregiver training: Investing in structured caregiver education, respite services, and peer-support groups reduces caregiver burnout and improves patient outcomes. Community organizations and faith-based groups can play a pivotal role in delivery.

3. Raise public awareness and reduce stigma: Culturally tailored awareness campaigns that differentiate normal ageing from disease help families seek timely care. Public education also mobilizes political will and funding.

4. Forge multisectoral policies and financing: Governments should integrate dementia into national health strategies, allocate dedicated budgets, and design social protection mechanisms for affected families. Partnerships with civil society, academia, and international agencies can mobilize resources and technical expertise.

5. Promote prevention through risk-factor control: Controlling hypertension, diabetes, and obesity, promoting lifelong education, and addressing hearing loss and depression are cost-effective strategies to lower dementia risk at the population level.

6. Invest in local research and data systems: Reliable epidemiological data are essential for planning. Supporting local research institutions will yield interventions tailored to cultural contexts and resource realities.

 

A CALL TO ACTION

 

The rise of dementia in Africa and other developing regions is both a challenge and an opportunity. The same systems and investments that extended life expectancy — primary care expansion, vaccination programs, and stronger health governance — can be leveraged to detect, manage, and prevent cognitive decline. By prioritizing dementia within national health agendas, empowering communities, and investing in prevention and care, we can ensure that longer lives are healthier, more productive, and dignified. As practitioners, policymakers, and civil society actors, we must act now. The decisions taken today will determine whether the demographic dividend of longer life becomes a source of enriched human potential or an unmanageable burden. For the millions of families across Africa who already shoulder the weight of dementia, there can be no delay.

 

 

About this Writer: 

Dr. Uzodinma Adirieje is an environmental health researcher with Afrihealth Optonet Association (AHOA), focused on linking ecosystem health and human well-being in Nigeria. He is a global health practitioner, development expert, and civil society leader whose work sits at the critical nexus of biodiversity, health, and climate change. He serves as the CEO of AHOA, a pan-African and global South civil society network advancing sustainable development through advocacy, policy dialogue, and grassroots interventions. With over two decades of experience, Dr. Adirieje has championed the understanding that biodiversity is essential for human health - supporting food security, disease regulation, clean water, and resilient livelihoods. His leadership promotes integrated approaches that address environmental degradation, climate change, and poverty simultaneously. Through AHOA, he leads multi-country initiatives on climate change, ecosystem restoration, renewable energy, universal health coverage, and climate-smart agriculture, while advocating for stronger governance and inclusive community participation. At national, regional, and global levels, Dr. Adirieje engages with governments, international organizations, and civil society to drive policies linking health and environment. His work underscores that safeguarding biodiversity is not only an ecological necessity but also a cornerstone of global health and sustainable development in Africa and the Global South.