ADI is pleased to share that Member States at the 78th World Health Assembly have agreed to extend the Global Action Plan on the Public Health Response to Dementia by 6-years, marking a momentous decision, that will have an impact for decades to come, for the more than 55 million people who presently are living with dementia and the 139 million that are forecast to live with the condition by 2050.
ADI has been leading the call for the extension, resulting in this crucial decision, which follows 18-months advocacy, working closely with Member States, the WHO, Alzheimer & dementia associations and key stakeholders across the world.
With dementia projected to be the third leading cause of death by 2040 and affecting millions globally, this extension to 2031 is a vital and significant step forward in driving global action on prevention, diagnosis, care, treatment, and support, through the development and implementation of National Dementia Plans.
We commend this decision and look forward to continuing our work, as highlighted in our latest From Plan to Impact report, to support those living with dementia and their families worldwide.
On the extension, ADI CEO, Paola Barbarino, has said:
We must now seize this opportunity, bringing together the dementia community to ensure that governments deliver against this renewed commitment, by creating robust and funded National Dementia Plans. Now, this next phase of work must begin.
Watch the full statement:
Noncommunicable Disease (NCD) Announcement
Paola delivered a second statement, calling on Member States to ensure dementia remains fully integrated in the political declaration for the upcoming 4th UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs.
Last week, ADI welcomed the zero-draft presented to Member States, which recognised Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias as leading NCDs, as well as highlighting the need for a holistic approach to support those living with dementia.
Dementia is currently the 5th leading cause of death from NCDs, projected to become the 3rd overall cause by 2040.
At the beginning of 2025, ADI, in collaboration with academics from the London School of Economics, published a commentary in Nature Reviews Neurology urging governments to include dementia in NCD policies and frameworks.
Read the Nature Review commentary here
Watch the full statement:
ADI Board Member receives prestigious award at the World Health Assembly Plenary on 23 May 2025
This morning, during a Plenary of the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly, ADI Board Member and Executive Director of ADI’s member association for China, Professor Huali Wang was awarded the 2025 His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Prize for Promotion of Healthy Ageing for her life-long commitment to dementia care in China.
Huali dedicated her award to all people living with dementia and their carers for being the inspiration of her daily work.
On Day 4 of the 78th World Health Assembly, ADI CEO Paola Barbarino joined global experts for a roundtable discussion on Understanding the Alzheimer’s Disease Continuum.
Paola highlighted the urgent need for continued global action, calling for an extension to the WHO Global Action Plan on the Public Health Response to Dementia. With prevalence and economic impact set to rise dramatically, extending the plan to 2031 was essential to ensure sustained progress in diagnosis, treatment, care, and support for people living with dementia and their families worldwide.
Moderating this event was Ishtar Govia, and also included Frederieke De Maeyer, Chairwoman of the Board for Demenz Selbsthilfe Austria, ADI’s member association for Austria, as well as guest panellist for our recent From Plan to Impact report launch. As a carer Friederike brought powerful testimony of lived experience to both events, focussing all minds on the actual challenges of diagnosis, treatment, care and support and why there is still so much work to be done.