{"id":2145,"date":"2024-12-09T12:53:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-09T12:53:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/demo.awaikenthemes.com\/lenity\/?p=2145"},"modified":"2025-12-09T13:03:07","modified_gmt":"2025-12-09T13:03:07","slug":"new-project-to-tackle-dementia-risks-in-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/onionlabs.link\/africafingers\/new-project-to-tackle-dementia-risks-in-africa\/","title":{"rendered":"New project to tackle dementia risks in Africa"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Aga Khan University’s Brain and Mind Institute (BMI) has officially \u200b\u200blaunched the Africa-FINGERS project, a major initiative aimed at addressing the growing risk of dementia in Africa. The project, funded by the UK\u2019s Medical Research Council (MRC) and supported by the FINGERS Brain Health Institute, seeks to develop strategies that are tailored to the cultural and social contexts of African communities.<\/p>

With dementia cases in Sub-Saharan Africa expected to rise significantly by 2050, the study focuses on preventing cognitive decline through lifestyle ch\u200banges. It will involve participants aged 50 and older in both rural and urban areas of Kenya and Nigeria. These efforts will target key factors that influence brain health, including nutrition, physical activity, brain and mental enrichment, social engagement, stress management and the management of chronic conditions like high blood pressure.\u200b\u200b<\/p>

\u200b\u200b”We are working directly with local communities to co-create solutions that fit their contexts,\u201d said Dr\u00a0Chi Udeh-Momoh, the study\u2019s Principal Investigator. \u201cThe goal is to ensure the interventions are not only effective but also sustainable and relevant to the people they are designed to help.\u201d\u200b<\/p>

The Africa-FINGERS project was launched during the Dementia and Brain Ageing in Low- and Middle-Income Countries Conference. The event brought together researchers, policymakers, and community leaders to discuss the urgent need for action as global dementia cases are projected to triple by 2050.\u200b<\/p>

Professor\u00a0Zul Merali, Founding Director, BMI, stressed the importance of focusing on African populations in the global fight against dementia. \u201cUnderstanding the modifiable risk factors unique to African populations is critical,\u201d he said. \u201cWhat we learn here will inform prevention strategies not just for Africa, but for the world.\u201d<\/p>

The study will collaborate with local policymakers to ensure its findings can be integrated into national health systems. It also includes training healthcare providers and researchers to strengthen dementia prevention efforts across the continent.\u200b\u200b\u200b<\/p>

\u200b\u201cThis study is as much about capacity-building as it is about research,\u201d said Dr\u00a0Udeh-Momoh. \u201cWe are investing in local expertise to ensure the impact lasts long after the project ends.\u201d\u200b\u200b\u200b<\/p>

One of the project\u2019s priorities is to co-create solutions with local communities, ensuring interventions are culturally relevant and rooted in local resources. The aim is to design programs that can be scaled across African health systems, especially in areas with limited healthcare infrastructure.\u200b<\/p>

\u200b\u200bProfessor\u00a0Miia Kivipelto, founder of the FINGERS Brain Health Institute, highlighted the urgency of translating research into action. \u201cWe are moving from research to implementation because we know that turning findings into solutions takes time,\u201d she said. \u201cBut we cannot afford to wait. Prevention is a lifelong opportunity, and it\u2019s never too early or too late to make a change.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>

As Africa\u2019s population ages, the Africa-FINGERS project is seen as a vital step toward improving the quality of life for millions. The project\u2019s findings are expected to provide valuable insights into global efforts to reduce the burden of dementia.<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Aga Khan University\u2019s Brain and Mind Institute (BMI) has officially \u200b\u200blaunched the Africa-FINGERS project, a major initiative aimed at addressing the growing risk of dementia in Africa. The project, funded by the UK\u2019s Medical Research Council (MRC) and supported by the FINGERS Brain Health Institute, seeks to develop strategies that are tailored to the cultural and social contexts of African communities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16196,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[28,25,30,24,27,26,29,31],"class_list":["post-2145","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-development","tag-global-health","tag-impact","tag-mental-health","tag-milestones","tag-neurological-disorder","tag-people","tag-research"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/onionlabs.link\/africafingers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2145","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/onionlabs.link\/africafingers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/onionlabs.link\/africafingers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onionlabs.link\/africafingers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onionlabs.link\/africafingers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2145"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/onionlabs.link\/africafingers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2145\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16244,"href":"https:\/\/onionlabs.link\/africafingers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2145\/revisions\/16244"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onionlabs.link\/africafingers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16196"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/onionlabs.link\/africafingers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2145"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onionlabs.link\/africafingers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2145"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onionlabs.link\/africafingers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2145"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}