World Stroke Day

David Sahakyan, MD
General and Endovascular Neurosurgeon, Head of Cerebrovascular Neurosurgery Service, Erebouni Medical Center, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia

Stroke is the primary worldwide healthcare problem, especially for developing countries. Armenia was one of those countries, where the implementation of modern, time-sensitive stroke treatment modalities like intravenous thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy was insufficient and sometimes impossible due to the high cost and underdeveloped stroke care system. For years, neurologists and neurosurgeons willing to provide state-of-the-art treatment to stroke patients were unable to do so because patients and their families had to pay for the procedures and medications out of their pocket before the treatment could be delivered. 

Everything changed in 2019. A collective effort of stroke specialists from Armenia and abroad, combined with the willingness of the new government to recognize the disability burden imposed by this devastating disease, led to amazing transformations in stroke care for the entire country. A national stroke program developed by a group of stroke specialists from the United States, Canada, France, and Armenia and supported by governmental funding made modern acute stroke care accessible for everyone in need in Armenia. In a small country with a population of 3 million, out of 5000 annual ischemic stroke patients, more than 300 patients have received acute stroke treatment for free since the beginning of 2019. More than 240 intravenous rTPA and 120 endovascular thrombectomies have already been performed at two stroke centers. In patients who received treatment, marked reduction of morbidity and mortality was achieved. It is worth mentioning that the budget of the program is around $1 million US dollars. And this is just the beginning. Further development of the stroke network is on the way.

Armenia is an excellent example of how a small developing country with limited financial resources can develop a world-class stroke care system with the help of experienced specialists from developed countries, motivated local physicians, and a supportive government.   

Lin Kooi Ong, PhD
@DrLinOng

The National Stroke Association of Malaysia (NASAM) Stroke Games 2019, an amazing event showcasing remarkable possibilities of #LifeAfterStroke, kicked off with an inspiring start at the Panasonic National Sports Complex in Malaysia on October 19. This event is in conjunction with the World Stroke Organisation – World Stroke Day, Southeast Asia Route. Over 800 participants from different states, including Penang, Sabah and Johor, as well as Singapore, participated in 25 events. The youngest athlete was 16 years old, and the oldest was 81 years old. The games kicked off with seated volleyball and hand cycle. The event closed on October 20 with Janet Yeo, stroke survivor and founder chairman of NASAM, putting out the flame.

“The Games is NASAM’s contribution to the stroke community around the world,” said Yeo. “We wish that this fighting spirit of a stroke champion is ignited into every person affected by a stroke no matter where they are.”

Abbas Kharal, MD, MPH

The global burden of stroke continues to increase as stroke still remains amongst the highest causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Per the 2013 global burden of disease (GBD) report¹, a greater than 3-fold increase in the burden of stroke was reported over the past two decades. A total of 11.6 million incident ischemic stroke cases were reported worldwide in the past two decades, of which one third occurred in those less than age 65, thus adding significantly more to the disability adjusted life years (DALYs) and economic burden of stroke worldwide. Beyond DALYs lost, stroke also has a large physical, psychological, and financial impact on the millions of patients affected, their families, the health care system, and the society at large, therefore suggesting that the true global burden of ischemic stroke is perhaps much more than what we measure it to be^2,3.

Burton J. Tabaac, MD

Stroke recovery is a global endeavor currently affecting about 80 million people living in the world today. More than 50 million stroke survivors live with some form of permanent disability.

Join the fight against stroke! In 2015, The World Stroke Campaign focused on raising awareness of stroke prevention and risk among women using the tagline, “I am Woman – Stroke Affects Me, Stroke Affects Everyone.” In 2016, World Stroke Day was marked by recognizing that although stroke is a complex medical issue, there are ways to significantly reduce its impact. The World Stroke Organization built a campaign to underscore that “Stroke is Treatable.” Last year, the World Stroke Day 2017 campaign focused on risk awareness and prevention. This year, World Stroke Day 2018, emphasizes that there are resources and a network to assist those who have suffered from stroke. You are not in it alone! There is a well-developed network for caregivers, families, and friends affected by stroke who can help their loved ones #UpAgainAfterStroke.