Member of the public being screened on World Stroke Day
Statistics from Healthy Heart Africa, Ghana has revealed that each year there are 12.2 million new cases with about 6.5 million people dying from Stroke.
It has also been revealed that globally, there are over 101 million people living who have experienced a Stroke, said Dr. Robert Yeboah Senior Technical Advisor, Non-Communicable Diseases, Healthy Heart Africa Ghana, who disclosed this at World Stroke Day 2022 observed recently.
The day is to create awareness and educate the public on the disease, with an organised free health screening by the Ghana Health Service (GHS), with the support of Healthy Heart Africa Ghana.
According to him, the prevalence of Stroke in Ghana had seen an increase from 1.57% to 1.69% in 1990 to 2019 respectively, saying hypertension was a silent killer and a major risk factor for Stroke, adding that people with hypertension were three to four times more likely to have a Stroke.
He explained that, World Stroke Day was initiated in the year 2006 by the World Stroke Organisation (WSO) to raise awareness on the serious nature and high rates of stroke, prevention and treatment, and to ensure better care and support for survivors.
He stated that, 29th was the day to commemorate the event on the theme ‘The Power of Saving, Previous Time,’ says the advocate would highlight preventive actions that individuals could take to prevent Stroke.
He stressed the need for concerted action to enable people know that by controlling risk factors such as tobacco use, unhealthy diet, and physical inactivity, at least 80% of premature deaths from heart disease and stroke could be avoided.
He underscored that, as implementing partner for Healthy Heart Africa programmes in Ghana, with funding from Astra Zebeca, PATH was collaborating with the Ghana Health Service to improve health outcomes for people living with hypertension, many of whom were unaware of their status.
Dr. Yeboah reiterated that, World Stroke Day offered another opportunity to heighten awareness on hypertension, and to accelerate efforts at prevention, screening, early diagnosis and appropriate treatment to reduce mortality from its complications.
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