Royals from across the globe are set to convene at the Alzheimer’s Disease International Global Conference <https://adiconference.org/programme> in Kraków 24-26 April, the longest running international conference on dementia, with both Her Majesty The Queen Sofía of Spain and Her Royal Highness Princess Muna Al Hussein of Jordan confirmed to attend.
Coming at a critical time where 141 dementia drugs are in clinical trials <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37251912>, the attendance of the royals is imperative to draw attention to key dementia challenges that are more urgent than ever.
These include concerningly low rates of dementia diagnoses (up to three quarters of cases go undiagnosed according to Alzheimer’s Disease International), which may limit access to dementia treatments when they become available, and limited access to post-diagnosis care (up to 85 percent of cases do not receive post diagnosis care, according to Alzheimer’s
Disease International).
Since 2018, ADI has been honoured to count Her Majesty Queen Sofía as an Honorary Ambassador. Her Majesty, a 2015 nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize, has long had a keen interest in Alzheimer’s and dementia.
“I am committed to championing a global response to dementia. Having witnessed healthcare challenges firsthand, I know how important is to highlight these issues at global level. The ADI conference is a critical opportunity to discuss the role of these new developments in conjunction with caregiving and support. We need examples of good practice and innovation from all over the world,” said Her Majesty Queen Sofía.
ADI’s newest Honorary Ambassador, Her Royal Highness Princess Muna, is an internationally renowned figure in global health, a strong advocate for programmes that support the Sustainable Development Goals, former commissioner at the high-level Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth and a recipient of numerous distinguished awards for her exceptional leadership in advancing health care for all by all.
HRH Princess Muna is the founder and president of the Jordanian Nursing Council and serves as the WHO’s patron of nursing and midwifery in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
“Dementia impacts millions worldwide, but the increase in people affected is particularly acute in the Middle East and North Africa. As Honorary Ambassador, I’m committed to lend my voice to dementia causes, for affected individuals, families, and carers at the Kraków conference,” she said.
According to research conducted by ADI <https://www.alzint.org/resource/world-alzheimer-report-2019>, two thirds of healthcare providers worldwide still wrongly believe that dementia is a normal part of ageing, and 40 percent of the general public believe doctors and nurses ignore people with dementia. This research on ‘attitudes to dementia’ is set to be conducted again this year, targeting over 70,000 responses, with a release scheduled for World Alzheimer’s Month in September.
ADI Chief Executive Officer, Paola Barbarino, says she is immensely grateful that the royals are willing to lend their voices to people living with dementia, who across the globe often find their opinions ignored.
“There are over 55 million people living with dementia globally, a figure set to increase to 139 million by 2050, and we know that often they are not heard,” says Barbarino. “In attending our global conference in Kraków, our Royal Ambassadors are not only amplifying the voices of those living with dementia globally but shining a light on Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, challenging the stigma that surrounds them and normalising the conversation.”
