Community-Wide Approach Key To Making Malaysia Dementia-Ready By 2030

PETALING JAYA (Selangor, Malaysia), Aug 6 (Bernama) -- Building a dementia-ready Malaysia by 2030 requires coordinated efforts from communities alongside government healthcare initiatives to address the country's growing ageing population, Deputy Health Minister Hanifah Hajar Taib said.

She said with 15 per cent of Malaysia's population projected to be aged 60 and above by 2030, dementia has become a leading cause of dependency among older persons.

Hanifah said that while government frameworks exist, national readiness requires moving beyond policy papers into community-level support and informed families.

"That is why initiatives like the Ministry of Health's Dementia Action Plan 2023-2030 are so important, as they focus on early detection, proper care, and community support.

"But a dementia-ready Malaysia cannot be built through hospitals and clinics alone; it must be built through informed families, trained caregivers, skilled care workers, and supportive local communities," she said.

Hanifah said this in her officiating speech at the graduation ceremony for the ‘Unlocking Hope for Alzheimer’s Disease: Dementia Care Skill Training Courses’ programme and the launch of the National Dementia Awareness Campaign held at Sunway Medical Centre on Thursday.  

As part of efforts to translate policy into action, Hanifah launched the Dementia Care Champions Network, which aims to place trained allies in neighbourhoods and workplaces to provide families with immediate local guidance.

She also congratulated 200 graduating caregivers, care workers, and trainers trained under the Alzheimer's Disease Foundation Malaysia and Rotary International Global Grant initiative.

Hanifah noted that building a workforce capacity with clear career pathways is essential to supporting the nation's healthy ageing agenda.

"When we train one caregiver, we strengthen a family, and when we support families, we build a healthier ageing nation, including a dementia-ready Malaysia," she said.

-- BERNAMA