Regional Committees Continue to Make Progress in Stroke Care
There are over 80 Regional Committees (RC) across six continents that actively strive to support the vision of MT2020+! Recently, 20 RCs gave a brief update on what they have achieved in the last quarter regarding public health initiatives, current regional structure, progress being made, challenges they are facing in their region, and their roadmap for future success within MT2020+.
Mexico
The RC from Mexico was able to translate the white paper and have it published in the Ictus Journal; a new scientific journal in Spanish for LATAM. Through this, they have initiated discussions with policy makers regarding improving stroke thrombectomy. They are continuing to promote the discussions around thrombectomy, “time is brain”, barriers faced in academic meetings and forums related to cardiovascular diseases, neurology, neurosurgery, radiology, internal medicine, cardiology, and emphasize the urgent need to give public lectures and mass education campaigns. Furthermore, the RC meets with medical societies and government representatives and continues to update the Mexican Stroke Guidelines.
Jennifer Potter-Vig, PhD
Fawaz Al-Mufti
Turkey
Turkey has legally established the Certification Criteria for the Primary and Comprehensive Stroke Centers. In addition to this news, it’s Ministry of Health approved a certification-diploma program on “Acute Stroke and Endovascular Prevention for Stroke.” The program contains two years of training (6 months stroke medicine-neurocritical care) in an accredited center by the Turkish Cerebrovascular Disease Society -Turkish Neurological Society.
Additionally, they have established a professional program on public awareness campaigns with Eskisehir Anatolian University Department of Communication and Public Relationship. Further planning activities include social media, public activities, and a press release with their professional guidance. Officials have also launched a site designed for the public for the implementation of stroke symptoms. The SVIN MT2020+ white paper will be included on the website.
Eastern Africa
Some of the key resource needs to overcome the challenges reported in Eastern Africa are government change in policy to offer training and education, improving the emergency management system, raising public health awareness of stroke risks and symptoms, and improving infrastructural support-neuroradiological and neurointerventional support. The RC’s key public health focus is to engage policy makers to prioritize stroke care through continued public health campaigns for stroke to raise awareness of stroke risk factors and signs using traditional and social media communicaiton platforms.
Malaysia
The RC has published the paper “Malaysia Stroke Council guide on acute stroke care service during COVID-19 Pandemic”. They are working with The World Stroke Organization to launch the stroke awareness program, BE FAST and WSO Angels Stroke Heroes for school children, for the World Stroke Day 2021. In addition to this, they are working with the local SSO (NASAM) and Ministry of Health Public Health Division on a long-term project on stroke education and prevention of stroke campaign to the public that will span 2021-2025.
Top Challenges Across RC’s
While the RC’s span the globe, expanding access to mechanical thrombectomy and stroke care cannot be done in a vacuum. There has been a high level commonality of needs regardless of location, size, and economic status. The top challenges of SVIN’s MT2020+ Committee in collaboration with other stakeholders are striving to find solutions to the absence stroke care policy, lack of patient awareness, EMS education & structure, lack of trained personnel, poor infrastructure and finally cost.
The immediate partnership—Medtronic and SVIN Mission Thrombectomy 2020+ (MT2020+)
This unique partnership between MT2020+ and Medtronic will combine specialist expertise from both organizations, thereby transforming and advancing a new standard of care in stroke treatment.
The goal of the IMMEDIATE program is to create a comprehensive, yet customizable solution with measurable outcomes. This global initiative will be built around five critical pillars. Optimization of the patient pathway from symptom onset to rehabilitation. Delivery of specialized training for all stakeholders involved, including the exchange of best practices. Providing access to the latest, innovative technologies. Developing regionalized, value-based health economic models, and influencing healthcare policy reform to promote change.
“This program could set an example for successful approaches to rapidly diminish the ‘thrombectomy gap’ in a given region that leaves too many stroke patients disabled for life that could have been functionally independent with timely thrombectomy.” Dileep R. Yavagal, MD.
To participate in MT2020+ initiatives or if you have questions or comments on any of the information contact Jennifer Potter-Vig at jpottervig@gmail.com
