Health ministry to open cognitive clinics for dementia screening
Published:Sunday | September 21, 2025 | 12:10 AMErica Virtue - Senior Gleaner Writer
The Ministry of Health and Wellness is set to open cognitive clinics to screen individuals displaying symptoms of dementia – a degenerative disease that impairs daily functioning, including memory loss, difficulty with language and thinking, and changes in mood and behaviour.
In an interview with The Sunday Gleaner, Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton revealed that there is currently one diagnostic clinic in operation within the public health system, located on the Bellevue Hospital compound in Kingston. He also mentioned plans to expand this service in the near future.
Tufton explained that in the public health system, Donepezil is the primary drug used to manage the symptoms of dementia. This medication is available through the National Health Fund. Commonly known by its brand name, Aricept, Donepezil is a cholinesterase inhibitor used to treat mild to severe dementia symptoms, particularly those associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Though it does not cure Alzheimer’s or halt its progression, Donepezil can improve memory, attention, and daily functioning for some patients.
Other medications used in dementia treatment include Rivastigmine (brand name Exelon), available as both a patch and capsule for mild to moderate Alzheimer’s, and Galantamine (brand name Reminyl), also used for mild to moderate cases. Additionally, Benzgalantamine (brand name Zunveyl), a prodrug of galantamine, is used for treating mild to moderate dementia.
A somewhat taboo subject
Tufton’s remarks come in the wake of news that retired former Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller is suffering from the disease. Dementia remains a somewhat taboo subject, but it has been reported that several other prominent Jamaicans in both the public and private sectors are affected by this cognitive decline.
Today is also being observed as World Alzheimer’s Day (World Dementia Day).
The Sunday Gleaner was unable to confirm whether dementia medications are covered by insurance or the cost of these treatments.
A 2017 study led by Professor Denise Eldemire Shearer, a leading expert in ageing, focused on the prevalence of dementia and its various types in Jamaica. The research found that 5.9 per cent of the population aged 60 and older had dementia, with Alzheimer’s accounting for 62 per cent and vascular dementia for 32.5 per cent. Interestingly, vascular disease was found in 45.5 per cent of Alzheimer’s cases. The study also noted that dementia was more prevalent in women and older adults, with a significant correlation between low mini-mental scores and increased risk.
The study concluded that “dementia rates in Jamaica are comparable with regional and global estimates. Regardless of dementia type, vascular change is pervasive and suggests that synergistic efforts should be made to address underlying contributory factors”.
It called for combined efforts to address underlying risk factors, such as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular health, as part of dementia prevention.
Eldemire-Shearer currently runs the Mona Ageing and Wellness Centre at The University of the West Indies, Mona, where she conducts research in public health and geriatrics. She was unavailable for comment last week.
Although there is no cure for dementia, treatments are available to manage symptoms and improve quality of life. As the disease progresses, however, its impact on cognitive function and daily activities becomes more severe.