Words from the President, February 2024

08 Mar 2024

It was excellent to participate in the International Stroke Conference held in Phoenix, US, as always a congress of the highest level. We had the opportunity to present our work at the WSO for a stroke-free life in various forums during the congress, demonstrating a pragmatic approach to implementing stroke programs worldwide. We highlighted the critical progress made and the vital efforts still needed to prevent more stroke-related deaths and disability worldwide.

The WSO's Certification of Stroke Centers has expanded the number of certified hospitals worldwide. In February, I visited the first 5 public centers in Egypt for certification alongside the MENA-SINO Society. We extend our sincere gratitude to all hospitals for their dedicated efforts in preparing for certification and for the warm reception extended to us. Special thanks to MENA-SINO for their invaluable support to the hospitals, meticulous organization of the visits, and the essential role played by evaluators (Ossama Mansour, Amal Hashmi, Maher Saqqir, and Attila Ozkan). Additionally, we express our appreciation to our Future Stroke Leaders from Egypt, Ahmed Nasreldein, and Tamer Roushdy, for their invaluable contributions to this crucial initiative.

Our Future Stroke Leaders program has increasingly engaged in strategic initiatives of the WSO, such as the implementation of Stroke Centers in Africa, the Certification of Stroke Centers in Latin America and the Middle East, and very soon in Asia, as well as educational programs for stroke centers. Next month, we will have more news about the future leaders who are now selecting candidates for the 3rd cohort.

The ASKAN Angels steering committee members met in Kuala Lumpur in February. The members from Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, Australia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines discussed stroke care in their respective countries and the WSO Stroke Center Certification program with our President-Elect Jeyaraj Pandian and our Secretary of the Executive Board and Chair of the World Stroke Campaign, Deidre Silva.

Meanwhile, extensive preparations are underway for our world congress in Abu Dhabi, ensuring an unforgettable event!

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