DemCon 2025 Calls for Stronger Dementia Action

MP and GITAM President M Sribharat urged the public to take a more active role in addressing dementia, noting that awareness is still low and most caregiving continues to fall on families.

He was speaking at DemCon 2025, a national conference on dementia organised by the Dementia India Alliance in partnership with GITAM Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (GIMSER) and several other institutions. Sribharat said the Andhra Pradesh Health and Family Welfare Department is treating dementia as a priority and is moving ahead with the State Dementia Action Plan.

The two-day event at the GITAM campus drew more than 800 delegates, including clinicians, researchers, policymakers, students, elder-care organisations and caregivers. Discussions focused on strengthening India’s dementia ecosystem. Sribharat announced that GITAM plans to become the State’s first dementia-friendly hospital and said students would be encouraged to work closely with affected families.

Dementia India Alliance executive director Ramani Sundaram welcomed the State’s proactive approach and said Andhra Pradesh is emerging as a leader in dementia-inclusive healthcare. She noted that cooperation between academic institutions, healthcare providers and the government will be vital to building long-term support systems.

More than 40 sessions covered early diagnosis, caregiving, policy, research, palliative care and ageing leadership. The conference ended with a call for earlier diagnosis, wider access to trained care services, integration of dementia support into primary health, and the development of dementia-friendly communities that protect dignity and improve quality of life for patients and caregivers.