The Ministry of Health and Prevention and Boehringer Ingelheim announce outcomes from joint stroke management initiative in the UAE
-Partnership between the Ministry and Boehringer Ingelheim leveraged the deep experience in stroke management in the UAE
-Each year 8,000-10,000 patients in the UAE get a stroke; this means every hour, one person gets a stroke
United Arab Emirates, Dubai –January, 2018: The United Arab Emirates (UAE), Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHP) in partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim, one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies, have announced the initial outcome from their joint stroke initiative which was launched last year. This partnership agreement was developed to drive and lead a stroke prevention program for better patient management care approaches across the UAE piloting two hospitals: Al Qassimi and Al Fujairah Hospitals
This initiative is part of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Ministry and Boehringer Ingelheim which aimed at supporting the MoHP hospitals in decreasing mortality rates by reducing the delays in the stroke management process and improve the overall stroke management process within hospitals.
The outcomes of the first year of the partnership were presented during a two- day workshop which took place at the MOHAP Training & Development Center in Sharjah and was attended by key ministry officials and Boehringer Ingelheim’s senior executive management.
Throughout the ongoing partnership, key points of improvement across each step in stroke management were identified and specific action plans were then implemented in order to improve the stroke management process to reduce delays in patient care and treatment and improve patient outcomes. The key findings from the first year highlighted that there is still a considerable lack of awareness amongst the population around recognizing stroke symptoms and having access to dedicated stroke centers and the need for more education around stroke care.
Under the MoU, Boehringer Ingelheim has supported the Al Qassimi and Al Fujairah Hospitals to establish the first stroke units in collaboration with the MoHP team. The joint efforts included analyzing the stroke patient pathway to identify areas of improvement and optimization, assessing overall stroke management process, putting in place a strong stroke management protocol as well as providing expert training.
Stroke still remains to be one of the biggest causes of death and severe disability in the region, with many patients not having access to specialty care. Atrial Fibrillation is the most common sustained heart rhythm condition, where blood can pool in the heart's upper chambers (atria) and form blood clots. If a blood clot forms, it can dislodge from the heart and travel to the brain, obstructing the flow of blood to the brain and causing a stroke.
In the UAE, after road accidents, stroke is the second leading cause of disability. Annually 8,000-10,000 patients in the UAE get a stroke; this means every hour, one person gets a stroke . Further in the UAE, stroke patients are much younger than those in western countries .
Dr. Yousef Al Serkal, Assistant Undersecretary for Hospitals Sector Ministry of Health said, “Around fifty percent of the stroke patients in the UAE are below the age of 45, as compared to the global average, where 80 percent of stroke patients are above the age of 65. Our ongoing partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim is helping to develop dedicated stroke programs in the UAE and throughout the region. A patient needs to receive treatment in less than 60 minutes, which is a main objective of all our stroke units in the UAE, aiming at reducing the chances of further complications. Rapid treatment in specialized stroke units has been shown to reduce mortality, disability, complications and the length of hospital stay.’
Mr. Mazen Bachir, General Manager, Boehringer Ingelheim, Gulf Region said, “Our ongoing partnership with the MoHP further strengthens our collaborative efforts to providing a highly specialized stroke care process for patients in the UAE. Boehringer Ingelheim is committed to supporting patients, healthcare professionals and hospitals through the transfer of the knowledge of the stroke protocol and how to implement it within hospitals. We will continue to work with MOHP to enhance and support the dedicated stroke centers across the UAE as well as increase public awareness, Our goal is to reduce the burden of stroke disability and improve the level and speed of care that the dedicated stroke specialists are able to provide.’’
Dr. Kalthoum Mohammed, Director of Hospital Administration, MOHP commented by saying ‘’ The MOHP is committed to implementing comprehensive stroke protocols and pathways for optimal stroke management. Developing stroke centers across hospitals in the UAE is a key element in achieving the nation’s overall healthcare agenda. Our partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim leverages the company’s experience and best practices to deliver the right tools and training frameworks that support healthcare professionals in the UAE.”
“We aim to improve the number of patients being directed to hospitals with dedicated stroke centers within the ‘Golden Hour’.’’ added Dr. Kalthoum.
The initiative has three major objectives –decrease the door to needle time- which is the interval between patient’s arrival to the hospital and starting the treatment; support in establishing a dedicated stroke units in hospitals which will directly lead to faster and better patient outcomes and as well as increase the awareness on proper stroke management amongst the public and healthcare professionals.
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For more information, please contact:
Sara Shamel
Head of External Communications | NEMEA
Boehringer Ingelheim
Sara.Shamel@boehringer-ingelheim.com