Health minister’s message on World Stroke Day 2021 ‘Keep stroke at bay by adopting a healthier lifestyle’ |29 October 2021
“We celebrate World Stroke Day on October 29 with the theme ‘Minutes can save lives’.
“This year’s World Stroke Day theme aims at further sensitising people about the need for everyone to have good knowledge about stroke symptoms and about what everyone can do to prevent the occurrence of a stroke and take the right action if a stroke happens.
“Stroke accounts for approximately one out of ten deaths, both worldwide and in
Seychelles. Most of us have mourned the death, sometimes at a young age, of a family member, a friend or neighbour. Stroke is also the leading cause of disability and triggers heavy health, social and economic hardship.
“Every adult should know that a stroke occurs when the brain is starved, either totally or partially, of its blood supply and oxygen. The block in the arteries of the brain is a consequence of a hardening and thickening particularly in persons with uncontrolled hypertension. Hypertension can also cause a bleeding artery in the brain, causing stroke.
“Strokes often cause severe complications, including paralysis of one side of the body and a variety of brain malfunctions, including sudden difficulty or inability to speak, sudden altered vision, confusion or loss of consciousness. A person can recover partially from a stroke through rehabilitation. However, often the residual disability is long lasting.
“As hypertension is such a strong risk factor for stroke, I urge every Seychellois to
remember the simple ‘know your numbers’ message. Everyone should know his or her own blood pressure values. Once someone knows his or her blood pressure values, he or she should aim to keep them lower than 140/90. This target blood pressure not only decreases a person`s risk of developing stroke but also contributes significantly to prevent heart attack.
“Anyone who feels he or she has symptoms of a stroke, such as sudden troubles in their vision and speech or lack of strength in one leg or one arm, or some sudden asymmetry in the face (such as smiling on only one side of their mouth), he or she should immediately report to a health centre. Treatments when given early after the onset of symptoms of a stroke can prevent disability and can be lifesaving.
“We are privileged that all main treatments necessary for prevention of acute stroke such as treatment for hypertension are readily available to all people in Seychelles at no cost.
“It is the responsibility of everyone to immediately report to a health centre when
experiencing symptoms suggestive of stroke.
“I urge all Seychellois to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Healthy diet, abstinence from smoking and regular physical activity are key to a healthy lifestyle. I also urge everyone who has hypertension or diabetes to take their treatment as prescribed and to immediately report to a health centre in case of symptoms suggestive of a stroke. Let us commit to be very serious about this and make each minute count to maintain us in good health, keep stroke away and add quality to our lives!”
Peggy Vidot
Minister for Health
