Words from the President, November 2024

04 Dec 2024 Words from the President

I am truly humbled to take over as the President of the World Stroke Organization (WSO). My journey with WSO began in 2008 when I joined the first WSO board representing the Asia Oceania region. Since then, I have had the privilege of serving WSO in various capacities.

First and foremost, I sincerely acknowledge and appreciate the contributions of Prof. Sheila Martins in promoting WSO activities globally, positioning WSO as the leading organization in implementing stroke care and advocacy.

My passion for stroke care started in 2000 when I encountered a young male with severe disability due to stroke. His daughter and wife became his caregivers, and the family faced catastrophic economic hardships as he was the sole breadwinner. This experience made me acutely aware of the devastating impact stroke can have not only on health but also on a family’s financial stability.

Globally, the burden of stroke is significant, especially in low and middle-income countries, where over two-thirds of strokes occur. Countries like India, China, Indonesia, and Pakistan are among the world's most populous, with a very high burden of stroke. As the first President of WSO from Asia, my focus will be on developing stroke care in Asian and African regions.

In the continuum of stroke care, the weakest links are prehospital services, rehabilitation, and prevention. My priorities will include expanding prehospital stroke care by collaborating with the prehospital task force, building capacity, and certifying rehabilitation centers globally. I will advocate for an integrated approach to reducing the stroke burden by developing stroke services and promoting population-wide prevention strategies.

During my tenure, scaling up several flagship projects of WSO, such as the Global Stroke Alliance and WSO Stroke Center certification, will be a key task. I have been closely working with WHO SEARO in New Delhi to improve stroke care in Bhutan, Myanmar, Timor Leste, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. As a WHO Collaborating Center for Stroke, I will strive to expand this program to other WHO regions.

I look forward to working with the WSO Executive Committee, the Board of Directors, all members of WSO, and the secretariat to make significant strides in stroke care and prevention during my tenure.

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