Gabi Williams set to launch Alzheimer’s foundation

Former Medical and Chief Health Officer for Lagos State, Dr. Gabi Williams is set to launch an Alzheimer’s foundation to help combat the disease as part of his 80th birthday celebration, which holds on September 11, 2017, in Lagos.

The foundation, which would be called the Gabi Williams Alzheimer’s Disease Foundation (G.W.A.F), is being established to honour the renowned public health pioneer, who also served as the Chairman, Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria until the disease struck.

Announcing the establishment of the foundation recently in Lagos, the Williams family stated that the G.W.A.F is being inaugurated to help fill the significant gap between Alzheimer’s disease services and its advocacy in Nigeria.

To this end, it is worthy of note that the foundation would promote Alzheimer’s disease awareness, identify available patient and caregiver infrastructure, create a repository for public access and reduce the stigma associated with the disease. The Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, that is a general term for memory loss and other cognitive abilities, serious enough to interfere with daily life.

Shedding more light on the foundation’s set objectives, Dr. (Mrs.) Abisola Williams, Chairperson, Board of Trustees of G.W.A.F, stated that the initiative will, among other objectives: develop local case studies of Alzheimer’s Disease; partner with public health institutes to promote Alzheimer’s Disease awareness through traditional and social media; work with institutions of higher learning to incorporate the study of Alzheimer’s Disease into curricula; create and disseminate an inventory of caregiver agencies in Nigeria that are equipped to support families and patients living with the disease: and conduct an inventory of physician experts and local researchers into Alzheimer’s Disease and related disorders.

Founder Guaranty Trust Bank and Fate Foundation, Fola Adeola (OFR) would be the Chief launcher of Gabi Williams Alzheimer’s Disease Foundation (G.W.A.F) at the Metropolitan Club, 15, Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. Dr. Gabi Williams also worked as Director, Disease Control and International Health, Federal Ministry of Health. He served as Nigeria’s representative on the Executive Boards of World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF.