The approval of the National Stroke Policy by the Philippine government is a milestone in improving stroke care in the country. After two years of meetings and coordination by the Stroke Society of the Philippines, the Secretary of Health Dr. Francisco Duque recently signed the Administrative Order No 2020-0059 which sets the directions and national policy framework on the Prevention, Control and Management of Acute Stroke in the Philippines.
This order shall apply to all government and private health facilities, Department of Health offices, Center for Health Development, Local Government Units and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
The Department of Health (DOH) will develop protocols and referral pathways aligned with existing Acute Stroke Clinical Practice Guidelines. In collaboration with the Stroke Society of the Philippines, professional societies, and other stakeholders, the DOH will drive the following critical elements of the policy:
Achieving our vision of a life free from stroke is a task that WSO cannot achieve alone. We are committed to building our partnerships at the global, regional and national level to scale up and deliver improvements in prevention, treatment and support to reduce the burden of stroke.