Journal article
Strengthening Africa's brain health and economic resilience
Nature medicine, Vol.31(8), pp.2506-2517
07/08/2025
PMID: 40775052
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Abstract
Africa stands at a decisive moment in which urgent action is essential to safeguard its brain health and economic stability. While Africa's population remains predominantly young, it is expanding and aging rapidly. This demographic shift is projected to drive a sharp rise in neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's, with profound health and economic costs-but brain health research, policy, funding and care across the continent remain critically underdeveloped. In this Perspective, we examine key trends in aging and brain health across Africa and introduce the 6 × 5 Plan-a 5-year strategic framework developed through collective multi-stakeholder insights-to address this pressing challenge. The plan targets six high-impact priorities: strengthening advocacy and health literacy, positioning brain health as a socioeconomic driver, breaking down silos of people and data, repurposing local resources, investing in artificial intelligence and digital health, and boosting research funding. To ensure effective implementation and long-term sustainability, the plan will be executed through a pan-African, multisectoral task force. This initiative seeks to accelerate Africa's response to the needs of a changing population and position the continent as a global leader in brain health innovation.
Details
- Title
- Strengthening Africa's brain health and economic resilience
- Creators
- Mie Rizig - National Hospital for Neurology and NeurosurgeryConnor McLaughlin - DACUSAVaibhav A Narayan - DACUSAMohamed Salama - American University in CairoChinedu T Udeh-Momoh - Wake Forest UniversityChido Ratidzai Rwafa-Madzvamutse - World Health Organization Regional Office for AfricaMuthoni Gichu - Ministry of HealthAkin Ojagbemi - University of IbadanMaëlenn Guerchet - University of Limoges (France, Limoges)Byron Bitanihirwe - Science for Africa Foundation (Kenya, Nairobi)Lingani Mbakile-Mahlanza - University of BotswanaRazak Gyasi - African Population and Health Research CenterCyprian M Mostert - Aga Khan University NairobiMosab Ali Awadelkareem - University of OxfordMouly Fall - National Pikine Hospital (Senegal, Dakar)Alfred K Njamnshi - Brain Research Africa Initiative (BRAIN) (Switzerland)Rufus Akinyemi - University of IbadanRaj Kalaria - Newcastle UniversityRiadh Gouider - Razi University Hospital (Tunisia, Tunis)Drew Holzapfel - Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative (USA, Philadelphia)Zul Merali - Aga Khan University NairobiStephen Tollman - University of the WitwatersrandHarris A Eyre - Rice UniversityAdesola Ogunniyi - University of IbadanGeorge Vradenburg - Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative (USA, Philadelphia)
- Publication Details
- Nature medicine, Vol.31(8), pp.2506-2517
- Publisher
- Nature Publishing Group
- Grant note
- Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI), Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME)
We are grateful to the WHO, World Economic Forum's Brain Economy Action Forum, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI), Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) and Wellcome Leap for their valuable contributions to this manuscript.
- Identifiers
- 991013307026002368
- Copyright
- © Springer Nature America, Inc. 2025.
- Academic Unit
- National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article