Alzheimer's on the Rise in Indonesia: Health Ministry
The number of annual Alzheimer's cases in Indonesia will go up by 19.7 million, according to the Ministry of Health, which has launched new efforts to educate the public about the illness.
"We often see 'pikun' [forgetfulness] as a problem for the elderly," Ali Ghufron Mukti, the Deputy Minister of Health, said at the "Memory Walk" Alzheimer awareness event in Jakarta on Sunday.
"This is wrong, because these are the symptoms of a serious illness," he said, referring to the widespread belief in Indonesia that Alzheimer's symptoms are part of the ordinary forgetfulness that comes with aging.
"We are working to prepare Indonesia's Alzheimer's-Dementia National Plan in the near future to demonstrate the country's commitment to this important issue," Ali said.
In addition to direct costs, Ali said that Alzheimer's tended to take a heavy toll on patients' families, who often devote tremendous time and effort in caring for their loved one's suffering from the disease.
Some 80 countries participate annually in the Memory Walk, which marks World Alzheimer's Month every September.
DY Suharya, the executive director for Alzheimer Indonesia, a nonprofit that works to raise the quality of life for dementia and Alzheimer patients, organized this year's walk along the Sudirman-Thamrin main artery in Jakarta, which marked Indonesia's first participation in the event.
"Alzheimer's can set in 20 years before most symptoms become apparent," Suharya said. His organization has undertaken efforts to educate the public about symptoms and detection and to promote healthy living, which can reduce the risk of getting Alzheimer's in old age.
Data from Alzheimer's Disease International showed that Southeast Asians spent $4 billion in 2010 on Alzheimer's and dementia treatment, including medicine and facilities.
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