Words from the President, April 2026

14 May 2026

In the month of April, I visited Cairo twice. The first visit was to attend the 1st Egyptian Stroke Network Meeting and the 9th International Egyptian Stroke Congress, held from April 8–10. My presentation focused on sharing the experience of the Indian Stroke Clinical Trial Network, highlighting collaborative research models and lessons that could support regional and global stroke care initiatives.

During this visit, I also had the opportunity to tour the stroke unit at As‑Salam International Hospital, led by Prof. Husam Salah. It was a pleasure meeting Mr. Neeraj, Ms. Jasmine, and the dedicated hospital team, and learning firsthand about their work in acute stroke care. I am grateful for the warm hospitality and stimulating academic exchange, and I look forward to continued collaboration.

I also attended the MENA‑VINM Conference held in Cairo. The World Stroke Organization (WSO) had a visible presence at the conference, including participation from Prof. Valeria Caso, Treasurer of WSO, and WSO Future Leaders.

During this visit, I was fortunate to meet H.E. Prof. Khaled Abdel‑Ghaffar, Minister of Health and Population, Government of Egypt.

The Government of Egypt has championed the first‑ever WHO resolution on stroke, titled “Reducing the burden of stroke: strengthening prevention, acute care, rehabilitation, and health‑system readiness,” which was endorsed by the World Health Organization Executive Board in February.

Discussions focused on translating the resolution into action through the following key areas:

Prevention – reducing stroke risk through stronger, integrated non‑communicable disease strategies
Acute care – improving timely access to high‑quality stroke treatment
Rehabilitation – strengthening access to specialist stroke rehabilitation to support recovery and independence
Health‑system strengthening – building workforce capacity, data systems, and service delivery
Policy and financing – embedding stroke care within national health plans with sustainable investment

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