Stroke in Sub-Saharan Africa: An Urgent Call For Prevention
Jerome H.Chin, lecturer, University of California, Berkeleychinj@berkeley.edu
Jerome H. Chin, Berkeley, CA
Submitted June 12, 2012
I appreciate the information shared by Adoukonou et al. regarding acute stroke management in Benin. Their challenges and resource limitations mirror those in Uganda. In May 2012, there was a resolution adopted by the United Nations member states at the World Health Assembly to reduce premature mortality from noncommunicable diseases by 25% by 2025. This will hopefully catalyze domestic government investments in stroke prevention and treatment. Hypertension causes 51% of deaths from stroke [1] yet awareness and treatment of hypertension in sub-Saharan Africa are extremely low. [2] Given that multidrug therapy for the prevention of cardiovascular events is highly cost-effective in sub-Saharan Africa, [3] governments and international partners need to raise the priority of preventive programs that include screening for and treatment of hypertension.
1. World Health Organization. World health statistics: a snapshot of
global health. Geneva: WHO; 2012.
2. Hendriks ME, Wit FWNM, Roos MTL, et al. Hypertension in Sub-
Saharan Africa: Cross-Sectional Surveys in Four Rural and Urban
Communities. PLoS ONE 2012;7:e32638 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0032638.
3. Chisholm D, Baltussen R, Evans DB, et al. What are the priorities
for prevention and control of non-communicable diseases and injuries in
sub-Saharan Africa and South East Asia? BMJ 2012;344:e586 doi:
10.1136/bmj.e586.
For disclosures, contact editorial office at journal@neurology.org.
I appreciate the information shared by Adoukonou et al. regarding acute stroke management in Benin. Their challenges and resource limitations mirror those in Uganda. In May 2012, there was a resolution adopted by the United Nations member states at the World Health Assembly to reduce premature mortality from noncommunicable diseases by 25% by 2025. This will hopefully catalyze domestic government investments in stroke prevention and treatment. Hypertension causes 51% of deaths from stroke [1] yet awareness and treatment of hypertension in sub-Saharan Africa are extremely low. [2] Given that multidrug therapy for the prevention of cardiovascular events is highly cost-effective in sub-Saharan Africa, [3] governments and international partners need to raise the priority of preventive programs that include screening for and treatment of hypertension.
1. World Health Organization. World health statistics: a snapshot of global health. Geneva: WHO; 2012.
2. Hendriks ME, Wit FWNM, Roos MTL, et al. Hypertension in Sub- Saharan Africa: Cross-Sectional Surveys in Four Rural and Urban Communities. PLoS ONE 2012;7:e32638 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0032638.
3. Chisholm D, Baltussen R, Evans DB, et al. What are the priorities for prevention and control of non-communicable diseases and injuries in sub-Saharan Africa and South East Asia? BMJ 2012;344:e586 doi: 10.1136/bmj.e586.
For disclosures, contact editorial office at journal@neurology.org.