New Coalition Plans to Tackle Africa's Growing Risk of Stroke

The continent is currently experiencing a changing pattern of diseases and deaths, it faces a double burden of infectious diseases and rapid escalation of non-communicable diseases such as stroke and heart disease. These conditions are driven by factors like ageing populations, changes in dietary habits, and rising rates of hypertension, physical inactivity, smoking, diabetes, raised cholesterol, alcohol abuse and obesity. Stroke is a leading cause of disability, death, and dementia worldwide. Africa has some of the highest rates of stroke. Fortunately, the vast majority of stroke risk factors are modifiable - and thus most strokes may be avoided. This means that with adequate healthcare policy and interventions such as detection, treatment and control of high blood pressure or high blood sugar, the large majority of strokes are preventable. Just 30 minutes of exercise five times a week can reduce your risk of stroke by 25%, writes Alan Bryer, Foad Abd-Allah, Kathleen Bateman, Lawrence Tucker, Mayowa Owolabi, Naeem Brey, Pamela Naidoo and Rufus Akinyemi for The Conversation Africa.

InFocus

Stroke (file photo).

Follow AllAfrica

AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.