Act fast to prevent damages from strokes |04 November 2019

Each year, October 29 is observed as World Stroke Day to raise awareness and reduce the incidence of stroke across the world. The focus this year is on prevention – more specifically, ‘Don’t be the one’ where ‘one’ refers to the one out of four people who will have a stroke at some point in their lives.

To mark the international world stroke day the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Seychelles Stroke Foundation organised a screening last week at the Cascade district administration. The activity also served as a way to raise awareness on the causes of strokes as well as to show support to the people who have been affected by it.

Present at the screening was the Minister for Health Jean-Paul Adam who noted that in Seychelles we have a large number of cardio-vascular diseases and hypertension and these are the leading causes of strokes.

“With activities such as this one we want people to be aware of the risks and how to reduce them. It is also to support people affected by strokes because nowadays stroke fatalities are low which means that people who have suffered from it goes through a process of rehabilitation,” said Minister Adam.

The minister also added that the Ministry of Health is launching a campaign that will focus on educating people about how to recognise the signs of strokes and how to reduce its risks through healthy behaviour.

As part of the activities a presentation that touches the aspects of strokes was held in the conference room of the district administration where attendees learned about treatments, prevention and symptoms of stroke.

Monette Ernesta, nurse manager at Les Mamelles health centre, noted that since the screening started they have received over two dozen people who have registered.

Stroke is a disease affecting the arteries of the brain. Whenever an artery carrying oxygen and nutrients to the brain gets obstructed by a clot (ischaemic stroke), or ruptures (haemorrhagic stroke) – the specific part of the brain where this happens dies. There is also the possibility of a mini or temporary ischaemic stroke caused by a floating clot, temporarily blocking the blood supply.