Dementia Care Cannot Wait: A Policy Brief for Policy Makers/Actors

Dementia is an urgent and growing public health challenge in Ghana, with prevalence rates among older adults approaching one in four and women are particularly affected. The demographic shift toward an ageing population, coupled with cultural misconceptions and inadequate health infrastructure, means that the problem is expanding rapidly and will place additional strain on already stretched health and social systems. Yet, the health system remains ill-prepared, with limited training opportunities for frontline staff, weak referral pathways across facilities, and no dedicated national policy framework to coordinate action. This policy vacuum perpetuates fragmented service delivery and allows stigma to flourish. Policymakers, including the Government of Ghana, the Ministry of Health, and the Ghana Health Service, are positioned to change the trajectory of dementia care. By enacting a comprehensive dementia policy, committing financial and human resources, and embedding dementia into broader national ageing and mental health strategies, they can provide the leadership needed to integrate dementia care into the health system. They can also ensure that professional training across all cadres of health workers incorporates dementia recognition and management, while simultaneously supporting innovative family- and community-based models of care that reflect Ghana’s cultural realities. This policy brief draws on robust evidence and co-created solutions generated at a regional dissemination and solution design workshop, highlighting actionable steps for policymakers to prioritise dementia as a public health issue, strengthen institutional responses, and reduce the burden on families and communities in both the short and long term.