Nurudeen Benjamin Thompson
A psychiatric nurse, Nurudeen Benjamin Thompson, is embarking on a health campaign using the power of sports to create awareness and prevention of dementia.
The ardent sports fan said in an interview that the avoidable death of Madam Akua Danteh was unfortunate, stating that “it is pure ignorance that led to the lynching of grandmother Akua Denteh, who was accused of witchcraft. It is about time the public appreciated the reality of how the brain slows down after being subjected to shock, trauma, stress and other related challenges.”
Thompson, a graduate of University of Cape Coast (UCC), explained that dementia affects everyone differently, but it commonly diminishes the victim’s abilities such as language, recognition, memory, purposeful movement, sensory perception and reasoning.
“Any changes in these psychomotor skills can signal damage to the brain,” he added.
Thompson warned against what he referred to as “profiling our precious but innocent mothers as witches”.
According to him, the confessions as claimed by their assailants are a result of the victim’s inability to connect with the right frame of mind because of dementia.
Thompson reiterated the importance of daily exercise to avoid the syndrome.