Professor Huali Wang recognized for advancing dementia care

At the Seventy-eight World Health Assembly, Professor Huali Wang was awarded the 2025 His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Prize for Promotion of Healthy Ageing for her life-long commitment to dementia care in China. 

Throughout her career, Professor Wang has made significant contributions to dementia care in China and globally: 

•  She helped shape China’s national healthy ageing strategic plan and national dementia action plan. This has resulted in dementia screenings for over 100 000 older adults, as well as health education campaigns and interdisciplinary, community-based service models that integrate professional and family support.  

• She pioneered the development of dementia caregiver support groups, establishing in 2000 China’s first Memory Café, which promotes community involvement and has since become a national model.  

• She has championed cognitive stimulation therapy training and implementation in over 20 provinces in China.  

• She is the co-chair of WHO’s Guideline Development Group for the update of WHO’s Guidelines for risk reduction of cognitive decline and dementia  

• She has led the implementation of iSupport for dementia carers in China 

Professor Huali dedicated this award to all people living with dementia and their carers for being the inspiration for her work commenting. With the extension of the Global dementia action plan, Professor Huali’s remarks of this award being a call to action for future endeavors, serves as an important reminder that lasting impact is grounded in strong collaborations and partnerships.  

WHO’s Brain Health Unit would like to congratulate and thank Professor Huali for all her support in addressing dementia in China and globally! 

For more information about Professor Huali’s work contact: nationaldap@vip.126.com