SIBU: Brooke Drive Neighbourhood Committee under the Ministry of National Unity in collaboration with Women and Senior Citizen Groups of Xin Fu Yuan Church at Brooke Drive will hold free blood screening cum health talk entitled, ‘Dementia’ at the latter premises on Monday (Mar 13) commencing at 5.30 pm.
According to the Brooke Drive Neighbourhood Committee chairperson Melinda Wong Kwong Hung, the event is open to the women and senior citizens of Xin Fu Yuan Church as well as the public.
“The blood screening will start at 5.30 pm till 7 pm to be followed by the health talk.
“We are targeting at least 160 participants for the event which is aimed to raise awareness on dementia to the community in line with RT (Rukun Tetangga) 4all, RT Sihat for Malaysia Madani,” she said.
“Geriatric Clinical Specialist Dr Benjamin Tiong Jeh Kiong will deliver the health talk on the importance of early evaluation and diagnosis of dementia at 7 pm on that day,” she stated.
She said Dr Tiong will among others, enlighten the participants with the symptoms of dementia and the benefit of early evaluation and diagnosis of dementia,” she stated.
In the 2009 Global Dementia Report, Wong pointed out it was estimated that there were approximately 36 million people living with dementia in the world and the rate is likely to double every 20 years.
She added that research shown dementia was diagnosed in primary care in only one in five to one in two people with dementia in rich countries.
