On February 3 and 4, 2025, the GloCal Health Fellowship supported an action workshop in Lima, Peru, entitled Promoting Brain Health in Peru – Interdisciplinary Approaches for a National Dementia Plan. This workshop was hosted by leaders from the Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI) in partnership with IMPACT SALUD. It was the outcome of a collaboration between GloCal and GBHI and funds received from the National Institute of Aging, which also supported two Peruvian fellows conducting dementia-related research.   This event sought to generate recommendations that could inform and support the Peruvian Ministry of Health as they work toward the goal of creating a National Dementia Plan for the country. It had five focus areas:

1. Context: Learning about the country and the clinical context to understand the threats to brain health, new research, and promising practices.
2. Policy: Exploring key policies addressing brain health in Peru and working on technical documents to inform dementia and brain health policies.
3. Communication: Working to change the narrative around brain aging from disease to health and considering key communication and artistic dissemination strategies.
4. Collaboration: Exploring cross-sector efforts to advance brain health, including training programs for emerging brain health leaders.
5. Action: Discussing strategies for action and leveraging a national interdisciplinary network on brain health.

Participants in the workshop included local, national, and international guests from medical, government, and communications sectors as well as lived experience and other community-serving areas. GloCal Deputy Director Kimberly Bale, five GloCal fellows conducting brain health in the region, and several GloCal faculty mentors were in attendance.   

The GloCal Health Fellowship looks forward to continued collaboration with the Global Brain Health Institute and collaborators in Peru as we strive to train the next generation of researchers tackling neurogenerative disease and advancing brain health.

To learn more about the interdisciplinary coalition's work to advance brain health policy, read the recent news article by the Global Brain Health Institute.