Learn from AIDS and invest in dementia care now to save money later, conference hears

The World Health Organization has been urged to recognise dementia as a global health priority, alongside cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic lung disease, and diabetes.

Peter Piot, director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, made the call at the Alzheimer’s Disease International conference, organised by the Alzheimer’s Society, in London this week. He also called for the UN General Assembly to run a special session on mental health and dementia, and asked world leaders to sign up to an action plan.

Speaking on the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 Professor Piot described dementia as a “global health timebomb.”

“I’ve worked for the last 30 years on …