Dr. Stephen Sarfo
Dr. Fred Stephen Sarfo, a Neurologist at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) has expressed grave concern about the alarming rate of stroke cases among young people in the country.
He said stroke cases among young people have increased astronomically by 300 percent within the last 30 years at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital KATH.
Available statistics show that the hospital recorded about 800 and 900 stroke cases annually; a situation he described as very disheartening.
In the early 80s, the number of stroke cases reported at the facility was less than 200 but in recent times, it is the highest among all cases at the hospital.
Speaking on the Health segment of the Oyerepa Breakfast on Tuesday with Host Nana Kwadwo Jantuah, Dr. Sarfo called for urgent attention to be paid to dealing with the situation at hand.
Dr. Sarfo believes constant education on stroke by the media can help reduce its rise.
He also revealed that stroke is the leading cause of disability and the second leading cause of death worldwide.
The Neurologist attributed it to lifestyle choices and cautioned the public against certain lifestyles which may harm one’s health.
Stroke statistics
According to the World Health Organization, 15 million people suffer strokes worldwide each year. Of these, 5 million die and another 5 million are permanently disabled.
High blood pressure contributes to more than 12.7 million strokes worldwide.
Europe averages approximately 650,000 stroke deaths each year.
In developed countries, the incidence of stroke is declining, largely due to efforts to lower blood pressure and reduce smoking. However, the overall rate of stroke remains high due to the aging of the population.
