Oyinlola Oluwagbemiga
School of Social Work McGill University Montreal Canada.
Medical Social Services Department University College Hospital Ibadan Nigeria.
Public Health Chall. 2024 May 15;3(2):e186. doi: 10.1002/puh2.186. eCollection 2024 Jun.
Despite the growing prevalence of dementia, driven by an ageing population and compounded by cultural misunderstandings and stigma, Nigeria lacks a coherent national plan to address this issue. The article points out that although Nigeria has enacted policies such as the National Aging Policy, which do not sufficiently address the specific needs of people living with dementia. It underscores the necessity of integrating a dementia strategy within the broader health and social care systems of Nigeria. The article draws on the World Health Organization's Global Dementia Action Plan to elaborates on several critical areas for action, including public health prioritization of dementia, awareness and stigma reduction, improved diagnosis, treatment, care, and support, alongside bolstering support for caregivers. It stresses the importance of a dementia-friendly infrastructure, research and innovation, and leveraging community support to foster a more inclusive society. Furthermore, the article outlines current state of healthcare and social support systems in Nigeria, pointing to significant gaps in infrastructure, healthcare workforce, and financial mechanisms that hinder effective dementia care. Hence, elevating dementia care as a national health priority, and increasing access to quality care and support, Nigeria is well positioned to mitigate the impact of dementia on families and the person with dementia. The call to action is clear: a national dementia strategy, informed by global best practices and tailored to Nigeria's unique cultural and societal context, is essential for addressing the challenges of dementia care and improving the well-being of affected individuals and their families in Nigeria.
尽管在人口老龄化的推动下，痴呆症的患病率不断上升，且文化误解和污名化使情况更加复杂，但尼日利亚缺乏一项连贯的国家计划来应对这一问题。文章指出，虽然尼日利亚已经颁布了诸如《国家老龄政策》等政策，但这些政策并未充分满足痴呆症患者的特殊需求。文章强调有必要将痴呆症战略纳入尼日利亚更广泛的卫生和社会护理系统。文章借鉴世界卫生组织的《全球痴呆症行动计划》，阐述了几个关键的行动领域，包括将痴呆症列为公共卫生优先事项、减少认知和污名、改善诊断、治疗、护理和支持，同时加强对护理人员的支持。文章强调了建立对痴呆症友好的基础设施、研究与创新以及利用社区支持以促进更具包容性社会的重要性。此外，文章概述了尼日利亚医疗保健和社会支持系统的现状，指出基础设施、医疗保健劳动力和金融机制方面存在重大差距，这些差距阻碍了有效的痴呆症护理。因此，将痴呆症护理提升为国家卫生优先事项，并增加获得优质护理和支持服务的机会，尼日利亚有能力减轻痴呆症对家庭和痴呆症患者的影响。行动呼吁很明确：一项借鉴全球最佳实践并根据尼日利亚独特的文化和社会背景量身定制的国家痴呆症战略，对于应对痴呆症护理挑战以及改善尼日利亚受影响个人及其家庭的福祉至关重要。
