As medics and governments continue to battle what is “one of the greatest health challenges of our generation” the World Health Organisation has released its blueprint for dementia research.

According to Dr Soumya Swaminathan, we are not keeping up with the targets set out in the “Global Action Plan on the public health response to dementia 2017-25.” Developments in dementia research are dependent on a cohesive strategy that looks into the underlying causes of the disease while finding ways to upgrade the treatment and care of patients already living with dementia. This is what the blueprint aims to address.

The blueprint lays out this strategy for governments, funders and researchers to steer their policy-making and investment in a way that is fairer, more democratic and more efficient.

The blueprint aims to further the actions already carried out by the WHO to put dementia research at the top of the list, look at all areas of these brain-related diseases, including diagnostics, science and technology and current therapies, and finally offer insights into the fundraising and research process.

Read more: Launch of WHO’s first blueprint for dementia research