Annual mortality rate from stroke in Pakistan rises by 40.9 percent

Islamabad: The annual mortality rate per 100,000 people from stroke has increased by 40.9% since 1990—an average of 1.8% per year; 350,000 Pakistanis suffer from stroke every year. Worldwide, 15 million people suffer from stroke each year and 5.8 million people die from it.

Consultant stroke specialist at Shifa International Hospital (SIH) Dr. Raja Farhat Shoaib shared these data while addressing a seminar organised Wednesday in connection with World Stroke Day. MNA Sadaqat Ali Abbasi was the chief guest at the event; the idea was to raise awareness about the risks of stroke and ways to prevent it.

This year’s theme for the day is ‘Join the Movement,’ and the seminar at SIH was an effort in this direction. “We are embarking on a movement for awareness creation. In order to involve children in this campaign, we are launching a storybook for them titled ‘Act Fast/How Gulabjan Survived Brain Stroke,’ authored by Mahpara Farhat Raja and Dr. Raja Farhat Shoaib,” Dr. Farhat shared.

Speaking as chief guest, Sadaqat Abbasi said, he would promote stroke awareness at the mass level by all possible means includeinglegislation and public service messages. “Awareness messages should be short, simple, and understandable to a layman,” he emphasized.

Prof. Dr. Maimoona Siddiqui, Head of the Department and consultant neurologist at SIH and Vice President of the Pakistan Society of Neurology (PSN) said, stroke is a brain attack that happens when blood supply to the brain is cut off, caused by a clot or bleeding in the brain. “We know that 80% of strokes can be prevented by addressing a small number of risk factors including hypertension, diet, smoking, lack of exercise and environmental factors,” she stated. Dr. Maimoons added that stroke survivors can face significant impairment of movement, speech, and cognition, alongside debilitating psychological, social, and financial problems.

Consultant neurologist at Fauji Foundation Hospital Dr. Husnain Hashim called for the establishment of more stroke units and the availability of more trained staff, both in the public and private sectors. He also highlighted the role of the Pakistan Society of Neurology and the Pakistan Stroke Society in providing stroke care across the country. Dr. Zeeshan Bin Ishtiaque, Medical Director at SIH, thanked the participants for their presence and presented souvenirs among guests.