London \u2013 Almaty, From April 28 to 30, 2025, a three-day training event, Alzheimer University (AU), was held in London. The programme was organized by Alzheimer\u2019s Disease International (ADI) for new associations participating in the Membership Development Programme (MDP). The event welcomed representatives from Aruba, Hungary, Lesotho, Switzerland, Vietnam, and, for the first time in history, Kazakhstan.<\/p>\n
During the programme, participants engaged in a series of intensive workshops covering essential aspects of building and strengthening dementia associations\u2014from developing public image and government relations to fundraising strategies and effective communications. Training was conducted with the involvement of ADI\u2019s CEO Paola Barbarino, Deputy CEO Chris Lynch, Director of Development Nikki Baylis, and other international experts.<\/p>\n
Kazakhstan\u2019s participation marked a significant milestone\u2014its official accession to Alzheimer\u2019s Disease International (ADI) as the first and only member from Central Asia. This historic achievement was made possible through the efforts of national experts in neurology, geriatrics, and public health, particularly faculty members from the Department of Neurology at Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical University\u2014Assistant Professor, PhD Radmila Tsoy Timsonovna, and Assistant Nurmukhamed Mamashayev Karimzhanovich\u2014with the support of Professor Robert Cumming and Anne Cumming of the School of Public Health, University of Sydney, as well as the Head of Department, MD, and Chief Freelance Neurologist of the Republic of Kazakhstan, S.T. Turuspekova.<\/p>\n
As part of integration into the global movement and enhancement of national capacity, the Kazakhstan Alzheimer & Dementia Alliance (KA&DA) was established\u2014the country\u2019s first national association focused on supporting people living with dementia and their families, as well as promoting clinical, educational, and advocacy initiatives. KA&DA\u2019s mission is to implement best international practices into Kazakhstan\u2019s healthcare system, develop a support network, and promote active aging policies.<\/p>\n
Since January 2025, the Kazakh team has been participating in online modules of Alzheimer University, and on April 17, 2025, Dr. Radmila Tsoy successfully completed one of the programme\u2019s core components\u2014the Fundraising & Grant Management Module\u2014demonstrating her high professional competence and readiness to implement sustainable support mechanisms for the association.<\/p>\n
Kazakhstan\u2019s entry into ADI opens new horizons: participation in international projects, access to educational resources, knowledge exchange with 105 countries, and the development of a national dementia strategy based on world-leading standards.<\/p>\n
The creation of KA&DA and Kazakhstan\u2019s integration into the global ADI network is not merely recognition\u2014it is a new stage in the development of the national healthcare system, the strengthening of international collaboration, and the improvement of quality of life for people living with dementia.<\/p>\n\n\t\t