African health leaders gather in Nairobi for WHO regional dementia summit

KENYA—Health leaders from 10 African countries have met in Nairobi to identify practical measures to prevent dementia, improve diagnosis, and expand access to care and support across the region.

The discussions took place from 14 to 16 September during the 2026 Regional Intercountry Workshop on Dementia, convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa.

Participants from Cabo Verde, Comoros, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe examined ways to strengthen national responses to dementia.

Although countries are at different stages of developing dementia programmes, participants identified several shared priorities.

These included reducing stigma and discrimination, promoting dementia risk reduction, strengthening health worker capacity for early diagnosis and care, integrating dementia services into primary healthcare, supporting caregivers, improving surveillance and data systems, and encouraging research that reflects local needs.

“Dementia is a public health priority for Africa. As the number of people affected continues to grow, countries need guidance, tools, and data to act,” said Dr. Benido Impouma, Director of the Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Control Cluster at the WHO Regional Office for Africa.

Growing burden and limited national planning

An estimated 1.9 million people are currently living with dementia in the WHO African Region, with the number expected to increase as populations grow and life expectancy rises.

The condition also carries a substantial economic cost, estimated at US$15.6 billion annually across the region.

Much of the care burden falls on unpaid caregivers, particularly women and family members.

They spend an average of 12.9 hours a day providing care, compared with a global average of 7.8 hours.

Despite the growing burden, dementia remains underdiagnosed and receives limited attention within health systems.

As of 2024, none of the 47 countries in the WHO African Region had a national dementia plan, either as a standalone framework or integrated into a broader health strategy.

Only five countries had conducted public awareness campaigns, while seven were implementing activities to reduce dementia risk.

Focus on early diagnosis and better data

The workshop brought together health professionals, people living with dementia, caregivers, civil society organisations, development partners and academic institutions.

Their discussions focused on improving pathways for early detection, diagnosis and referral, integrating dementia care into essential health services and expanding training for health and social care workers.

Participants also highlighted the need for person-centred services that provide continuous support as the condition progresses.

Public awareness and community engagement were identified as important tools for addressing stigma and discrimination, while the experiences of people living with dementia and caregivers were used to inform discussions on service needs.

Reliable data was another key priority. In 2024, only 10 countries in the region reported dementia data to WHO.

Participants therefore called for stronger surveillance, better collection and use of disaggregated data, and research tailored to African contexts.

The participating countries will use national assessments and workshop priorities to refine roadmaps for developing or revising dementia policies and plans.

They also established a regional community of practice to facilitate knowledge sharing, peer learning and collaboration.

*“This workshop must translate into concrete action at country level,” *said Dr Catherine Wanjiku Waweru of Kenya’s Ministry of Health.

“Our priority is to ensure that dementia is recognized early, that people can access quality care and support, and that families are not left to face it alone.”

Sign up HERE to receive our email newsletters with the latest news and insights from Africa and around the world, and follow us on LinkedIn for updates.