Research capacity and capability development for dementia research in majority-world settings

This chapter examines the Nairobi Declaration on Reducing the Burden of Dementia in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), which calls for ‘research into affordable, effective solutions to improve dementia care while reducing hospitalization costs and mitigating brain drain by engaging young professionals.’ Although cognitive and neurodegenerative disorders are increasingly recognized as public health priorities in LMICs, local research in these regions is still developing. Local research is essential for addressing the complexities of dementia care within specific contexts, amid a severe shortage of health professionals prepared for this research. This chapter covers three key aspects of capacity and capability development: (1) setting research agendas and prioritizing questions across countries; (2) enhancing African scientists’ expertise and access to research data through the AI-BOND initiative; and (3) best practices for equitable international collaborations in dementia research.