Princess Muna named honorary global ambassador of Alzheimer’s Disease International

AMMAN — Alzheimer’s Disease International organisation has named HRH Princess Muna Al Hussein as an Honorary Global Ambassador.

Princess Muna is the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) patron of nursing and midwifery in the Eastern Mediterranean region and an honorary adviser for the WHO Collaborating Centre for Nursing Development in Jordan.

Commenting on this, Princess Muna said, “I am delighted to have been appointed an Honorary Ambassador of ADI.  Dementia is a condition which affects millions globally, with particularly high numbers forecast for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.”

“In my capacity as Honorary Ambassador, I look forward to raising awareness of dementia, as we work towards improving the lives of all of those living with the condition, their carers and families,” Her Royal Highness continued.

Princess Muna is the fourth global ambassador to join ADI, alongside Queen Silvia of Sweden, Queen Sofia of Spain, and Luis Guillermo Solís Rivera, former president of Costa Rica.

On the appointment, ADI CEO Paola Barbarino said, “Her Royal Highness’ outstanding work in global health and nursing will be critical for raising awareness about the condition, which is expected to affect over 13.8 million people by 2050 in the MENA region.”

Founder and president of Al Oun for Alzheimer’s Patients Care Association Jordan, Hamza Nouri, also welcomed the decision.

“Her Royal Highness’s passion and commitment to improving the lives of people with dementia and their caregivers is an inspiration to us all. We are confident that, together, we can make a real difference in the fight against this condition,” he said.

According to current figures, dementia affects 55 million people globally, and the numbers are forecast to increase to 139 million by 2050.

Within the Middle East and North Africa, data from the WHO shows that dementia currently affects around 3 million people, a figure predicted to increase by 367 per cent to over 13.8 million cases by 2050.

In Jordan, over 37,000 people are estimated to be living with the condition, and the number is expected to increase by over 500 per cent to over 232,000 by 2050.