Executive Summary
Task force formed to look into draft action plan for dementia care, risk reduction, and caregiver support across Karnataka.
Published in Deccan Herald
Original article clipping preserved from Deccan Herald archival records (22 September 2024).
Full Story & Transcribed Coverage
Needed in Karnataka: An action plan to tackle dementia
Task force formed to look into draft action plan
The number of people with dementia, a neurological condition that affects thinking and remembering, is projected to double in Karnataka by 2036, but the lack of a dedicated state action plan could complicate efforts to tackle it.
According to large-scale estimates of dementia in India published last year, the population in India living with dementia is expected to double to 1.69 crore. In Karnataka, the figure is estimated to rise to 9.41 lakh by 2036 from over 5 lakh people in 2016.
Last September, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao announced the formation of a state action plan to tackle dementia prevalence in Karnataka. A month later, Bengaluru's NIMHANS and Dementia India Alliance (DIA), in collaboration with the state health department, submitted a draft action plan to the government.
The draft focused on how to increase state-wide awareness, screen at-risk populations to prevent or delay onset of dementia, and create dementia-friendly environments.