Malawians on Saturday, October 29 joined the rest of the world in commemorating World Stroke day under the theme ‘Precious Time’.
Established by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the day is meant to raise awareness and stir up action on stroke worldwide.
The commemoration ceremony was accentuated with a big walk from Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre to Clock Tower via Masauko Highway then back through Blantyre market, Mandala road.
In his remarks, Stroke Support Organization Malawi (SSO-Malawi) Executive Secretary, Dr. George Chimatiro, said Stroke continues to cause health and economic problems in Malawi and other African countries.
“Stroke continues to cause havoc: disrupting families, sinking households into poverty and affecting national economies as billions of dollars are annually spent managing the effects of stroke. Sadly, stroke is exponentially rising in Malawi and this region of Africa where it affects even the young 40, 50, 60 years of age,”
“Despite the fact that stroke is both preventable and treatable, most people with acute symptoms of stroke delay in seeking medical attention leading to missed treatment opportunities. This is often due to poor awareness of stroke symptoms,” said Dr, Chimatiro
He added: “Today Stroke Support Organization is using the Precious Time Campaign, to raise community awareness of the signs of stroke and the importance of acting fast to save lives.
“SSO-Malawi uses the FAST acronym to help Malawians detect stroke and respond to the needs of a person having a stroke.
The acronym stands for facial drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulties and Time to seek medical attention immediately”
Concurring with Dr. Chimatiro, a Stroke survivor John Bisika, who is also board chairperson for SSO-Malawi, called upon people to always seek medical attention soon after noticing Stroke signs and symptoms.
According to the World Stroke Organization, stroke continues to be the leading cause of death and disability worldwide.
SSO-Malawi, a member of Africa Stroke Organization (ASO) and World Stroke Organization (WSO), was formed by prominent leaders in health, stroke survivors and guardians for stroke survivors and other rights activists.
