By Victor Nwegede
The Nutrition for Better Economy, Gender, Lifestyle and Agricultural Foundation (NEEGLAR Foundation) has urged Nigerians to discard cultural myths and misconceptions surrounding dementia, stressing that the condition is neither witchcraft nor punishment for sins.
The Executive Director of the foundation, Mrs Chinenye Azu Udu, made the call during activities organised to commemorate the 2026 World Alzheimer’s Day, with an appeal to families to seek professional medical assessment whenever persistent changes in memory, behaviour or cognitive functioning are observed.
Udu said dementia should be treated as a medical condition requiring proper attention and support rather than being dismissed as an inevitable consequence of ageing or attributed to supernatural causes.
“Memory matters,” she said. “Dementia is not witchcraft. It is not a punishment for sins, and it is not simply a normal part of ageing.”
World Alzheimer’s Day is observed annually on September 21 as part of World Alzheimer’s Month, coordinated internationally by Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI). The 2026 campaign is centred on the theme, “The Earlier You Know, The More You Can Do: A Dementia Diagnosis Matters,” with emphasis on tackling stigma and discrimination and promoting timely diagnosis.
According to ADI, timely diagnosis can help people living with dementia and their families access relevant treatment, care and support while also enabling them to plan for the future.
Udu explained that dementia affects memory, thinking and everyday functioning, while Alzheimer's disease remains the most common cause of dementia.
She said NEEGLAR Foundation had been taking dementia education to communities in Ebonyi State through sensitisation programmes, training of Community Health Extension Workers, community engagements and support for data collection across Abakaliki, Ebonyi, Izzi and Ohaukwu Local Government Areas.
The foundation, she added, was also using the 2026 World Alzheimer’s Day campaign to promote memory and nutrition screening as part of efforts to encourage healthy ageing and improve public understanding of cognitive health.
Udu urged families and caregivers to take persistent changes in memory, thinking and behaviour seriously, stressing that early recognition could provide an opportunity for appropriate medical guidance, support and informed planning.
“Seek help early,” she said, urging the public to replace myths with knowledge, stigma with compassion and silence with open conversations about dementia.
She also assured older persons that their dignity and wellbeing remained important, saying, “To our elders, we say: you matter, your memories matter, and your dignity matters.”
The Executive Director expressed appreciation to organisations and institutions supporting the foundation's dementia awareness initiatives, including the Chijioke Mercy Foundation, Ebonyi State Ministry of Health, Ebonyi State Ministry of Information and State Orientation, Dietitians Association of Nigeria, Ebonyi State Chapter, and Assemblies of God Church, Orokeonuoha.
In goodwill messages and presentations, Mr Emeka Ogazi of Chijioke Mercy Foundation, Goodness Mgbaja of CIRDOC Nigeria and other health experts commended NEEGLAR Foundation for its intervention and pledged continued partnership towards expanding dementia awareness.
The experts also stressed the importance of healthy and balanced nutrition in supporting overall wellbeing, particularly among older persons, while calling for greater community-level education on dementia and healthy ageing.
The 2026 campaign's emphasis on timely diagnosis is consistent with ADI's position that obtaining a diagnosis can provide access to support and resources and allow people and families to plan ahead. ADI also notes that medical assessment can help identify other potentially treatable causes of memory problems.
The event, attended by elderly people from different parts of Ebonyi State, persons living with disabilities, health practitioners and other stakeholders, featured lectures, interactive sessions, memory screening and vital-sign checks.
Udu, in her concluding message, urged communities to embrace early action in responding to dementia concerns.
“The earlier you know, the more you can do. Let us learn. Let us care. Let us act early,” she said.
