Sheikh Khalifa Stroke Institute (SKSI), a part of Johns Hopkins Medicine, has developed a stroke care system through its participation in the Abu Dhabi Department of Health-Critical Event Preparedness and Response (CEPAR) Stroke Task Force.
The World Stroke Congress (WSC) 2024, scheduled for 23-26 October at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), will see SKSI director and stroke expert Dr Victor Urrutia leading a delegation of ten specialists, according to a press release posted on Zawya.
Dr Victor Urrutia said: "Our collaborations in the UAE are improving stroke care by organising the stroke system and fostering certification of hospitals as stroke centres, and participating in the rehabilitation and survivors’ CEPAR task forces.”
At the WSC, Dr Urrutia will share insights on achieving stroke certification, managing telestroke networks and the importance of interdisciplinary care in stroke outcomes.
Additionally, four SKSI nursing and therapy specialists conducted a pre-congress nursing workshop on 22 October, focusing on advanced stroke management techniques.
The SKSI team will also engage with prominent figures from the World Stroke Organization, the Middle East and North Africa Stroke Organization, and members of the CEPAR Stroke Task Force.
Launched in February 2018, SKSI operates in the US and UAE and focuses on enhancing stroke care by implementing systems and developing new strategies for diagnosis, prevention, specialised care, and recovery interventions.
The alarming trend of strokes in the UAE, where 9,000 to 12,000 deaths occur annually, with more than half of the affected population being under 45, underscored the need to enhance stroke prevention, treatment, and recovery in the region, according to SKSI.
In a recent initiative, SKSI evaluated the stroke care capacity of six hospitals in the Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi.
In addition to system evaluations, SKSI has provided training to more than 500 healthcare professionals in the UAE.
The Institute's contributions have led to UAE hospitals such as Tawam Hospital in Al Ain achieving the American Heart Association's (AHA) certification as a comprehensive stroke centre.
