Page 44 - AN-3-2

Advanced Neurology Stroke care in sub-Sahara Africa

novel tax collection strategies. Gabon, Ghana, and Ethics approval and consent to participate
Nigeria have earmarked specific health-care allocations
from government revenue. Tanzania and Uganda have Not applicable.
implemented reforms to improve the use of existing Consent for publication
resources. Ethiopia and Rwanda have achieved high levels
of population health coverage through social protection Not applicable.
systems that guarantee access to health-care services. All Availability of data
these strategies represent progress and provide hope for
improving stroke care in the region. Not applicable.
8. Conclusion References
The current trend in stroke epidemiology in SSA is 1. World Stroke Organization: Global Stroke Fact Sheet; 2022.
alarming and portends a poor outlook for the subcontinent Available from: https://ghdx.healthdata.org/gbd-results-
if no urgent and aggressive interventions are undertaken. tool [Last accessed on 2023 Oct 21].
Modifiable stroke risk factors are on the rise, resource 2. Feigin V. Stroke epidemiology in the developing world.
challenges hinder the setup of acute care and rehabilitation, Lancet. 2005;365(9478):2160-2161.
cultural and religious practices impede learning, poor health doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(05)66755-4
promotion and limited research funding hamper efforts to
reduce the burden of stroke in the region. As evidenced 3. World Bank Country and Lending Groups. Available from:
by high-income countries, reducing the burden of stroke https://datatopics.worldbank.org/world-development-
indicators/the-world-by-income-and-region.html
[Last
in SSA will undoubtably reduce mortality, morbidity, and accessed on 2023 Nov 10].
DALYs. A concerted effort from policymakers, health-
care partners, payers, health-care providers, and patients, 4. Sub-Saharan Africa, Demographic-Population. Available
all working collaboratively, is needed to advance stroke from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/sub-saharan_africa
care in the region. Fortunately, SSA countries are not [Last accessed on 2023 Oct 21].
lacking in human resources and ingenuity. This goal 5. Osuntokun BO, Bademosi O, Akinkugbe OO, Oyediran AB,
is both possible and achievable. Through research and Carlisle R. Incidence of stroke in an African city: Results
epidemiological surveillance, stroke can be quantified from the stroke registry at Ibadan, Nigeria 1973–1975.
and better understood, providing evidence for planning Stroke. 1979;10(2):205-207.
and designing future interventions. Robust prevention doi: 10.1161/01.str.10.2.205
strategies can curtail the incidence of stroke. By providing 6. Rosman KD. The epidemiology of stroke in an urban black
quality acute care, stroke can become a largely treatable population. Stroke. 1986;17(4):667-669.
condition, and through effective rehabilitation, aftereffects doi: 10.1161/01.str.17.4.667
of stroke can be minimized.
7. Matenga J. Stroke incidence rates among black residents of
Acknowledgments Harare-a prospective community-based study. S Afr Med J.
1997;87(3):606-609.
None.
8. Danesi MA, Okubadejo NU, Ojini FI, Ojo OO. Incidence and
Funding 30-day case fatality rate of first ever stroke in urban Nigeria:
The prospective community-based epidemiology of stroke in
None. Lagos (EPISIL) phase 11 results. J Neurol Sci. 2013;331:43-47.
Conflict of interest doi: 10.1016/j.jns.2013.04.026

The authors declare no conflicts of interest. 9. Okon M, Adebobola NI, Julius S, et al. Stroke incidence and
case fatality rate in an urban population. J Stroke Cerebrovasc
Author contributions Dis. 2015;24(4):771-777.

Conceptualization: Felix E. Chukwudelunzu doi: 10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2014.11.004
Investigation: All authors 10. Damasceno A, Gomes J, Azevedo A, et al. An epidemiological
Methodology: All authors study of stroke hospitalizations in Maputo, Mozambique:
Project administration: Felix E. Chukwudelunzu A high burden of disease in a resource-poor country. Stroke.
Writing-original draft: All authors 2010;41(11):2463-2469.
Writing-review & editing: All authors doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.110.594275

Volume 3 Issue 2 (2024) 14 doi: 10.36922/an.2804