Message From the President
Debbie ThomasFounder/President
Stroke is a serious medical emergency, and strokes require immediate medical attention. 2014 data released by the World Health Organization, shows Stroke brain trauma as the #1 cause of death in Jamaica. The updated data results show stroke killing more than twice the number of individuals, as all forms of cancer combined. That is not only shocking but very concerning, as Jamaica has no strategy in place to support stroke survivors and their caregivers.
We need stroke education and awareness in Jamaica, so that individuals realize that the sooner a stroke patient receives care, the greater their chances of survival and recovery, from debilitating paralysis, that leads to long-term disability.
A Stroke Center should be available in every parish, with a trained Neurology team of doctors and nurses, available to respond to stroke activation as soon as possible. This would help to minimize the impact of stroke on already burdened families and communities.
The Stroke Center should also work with the local Emergency Medical Service to prepare for the arrival of potential stroke patients to fast track patients to a physician for immediate evaluation. Westmoreland has nothing even close to this.
It should be an exciting time for acute stroke treatment in Jamaica, since there is the availability of clot busting drugs that can help to save more Jamaican lives and help cut down on the high stroke disability rate on the island. Thrombolytic therapy is the use of drugs to break up or dissolve blood clots, which are the main cause of both heart attacks and stroke. Research shows that giving thrombolytics within 3 hours of the first stroke symptoms can help limit stroke damage and disability.
We need stroke education and awareness in Jamaica, so that individuals realize that the sooner a stroke patient receives care, the greater their chances of survival and recovery, from debilitating paralysis, that leads to long-term disability.
A Stroke Center should be available in every parish, with a trained Neurology team of doctors and nurses, available to respond to stroke activation as soon as possible. This would help to minimize the impact of stroke on already burdened families and communities.
The Stroke Center should also work with the local Emergency Medical Service to prepare for the arrival of potential stroke patients to fast track patients to a physician for immediate evaluation. Westmoreland has nothing even close to this.
It should be an exciting time for acute stroke treatment in Jamaica, since there is the availability of clot busting drugs that can help to save more Jamaican lives and help cut down on the high stroke disability rate on the island. Thrombolytic therapy is the use of drugs to break up or dissolve blood clots, which are the main cause of both heart attacks and stroke. Research shows that giving thrombolytics within 3 hours of the first stroke symptoms can help limit stroke damage and disability.
