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TACKLING AFRICA’S GROWING
BURDEN OF STROKE
With the pan-African African Stroke Organisation, UCT researchers
help address the continent’s unique risk factors.
The African Stroke Organisation brings
together stroke researchers, clinicians and
other healthcare professionals from across
the continent to drive research, capacity
building, development of stroke services,
and collaboration with all stakeholders.
“Its role is to address the rising rates
of stroke on the continent, as well as the
high rates of death and disability that can
follow,” said the founding researchers in an
article in The Conversation.
Among those members are UCT’s
Professor Alan Brye, consultant neurologist
Kathleen Bateman, head of the Division of
Neurology Lawrence Tucker, and Honorary
Professor Pamela Naidoo.
Stroke is a leading cause of disability,
death and dementia worldwide. Over 20%
of people in Africa are at risk of stroke at
some point in their life. Fortunately, the
vast majority of stroke risk factors are
modifiable – and thus most strokes may
be avoided.
Tackling this requires an African
organisation, the group says, because
there are combinations of risk factors
that are unique to the continent. A good
example of this is hypertension working
in concert with diabetes and high levels
of cholesterol in the blood. Research,
education and policy responses need
to focus on these factors singly and in
combination, the researchers said.
“Tackling the escalating burden of stroke
on the continent requires prioritised, multipronged and intersectoral strategies. These
must be tailored to the epidemiological,
cultural, socioeconomic and lifestyle
landscape in African countries.”
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