Research reveals 40 million of China's population will be diagnosed with Alzheimer's by 2050

By Team Newsable | First Published Sep 21, 2021, 11:17 AM IST

The United States has 6.2 million Alzheimer's sufferers and 73,000 specialised treatment beds, whereas China has twice as many cases but just 200 beds.

Alzheimer's disease is the most prevalent dementia, characterised by decreased cognitive function, including memory loss, and need full-time care. In China, nearly 10 million people have been diagnosed with degenerative — and incurable — brain illness, accounting for almost a quarter of all cases worldwide. According to research conducted by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, this amount is predicted to rise to 40 million by 2050 as the country's population ages.

According to the research, the increase in cases would cost the economy $1 trillion each year in medical costs and lost productivity as carers leave the job. According to the World Health Organization, while dementia is not "an unavoidable result of biological ageing," age is the most significant risk factor for developing it. While this is a rising issue throughout the world, analysts warn China is unprepared for the task. The United States has 6.2 million Alzheimer's sufferers and 73,000 specialised treatment beds, whereas China has twice as many cases but just 200 beds.

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According to Wei Shouchao, a neurologist at Guangdong Medical University, Alzheimer's Disease is China's most serious healthcare issue. He claims it is the mainland's severe fastest-growing ailment, and we are completely unprepared to cope with it. He noted that patients had been denied proper medical care for years due to a lack of understanding among families.

Last year, Beijing unveiled the Healthy China 2030 action plan, which seeks to implement community-level screening programmes for the early identification of Alzheimer's disease or dementia and improve public awareness of the condition. However, opponents claim that the ideas lack specifics on medical training, the construction of specialised care facilities, and the expansion of public hospital capacity to handle dementia patients.

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