• Veteran stroke specialist Dr. Victor Urrutia from Baltimore-based institute to lead expert team of specialists to participate in World Stroke Congress from October 23-26
  • SKSI to host Pre-Congress Nursing Workshop to enhance regional nursing by sharing cutting-edge stroke management techniques

Abu Dhabi-UAE – In the UAE, strokes claim the lives of 9,000 to 12,000 individuals annually, with over half of those affected being under 45 years old—significantly younger than the global average patient age of 65. This alarming trend underscores the urgent need to enhance stroke systems implementation, prevention, treatment and recovery.   

Johns Hopkins Medicine, a renowned global academic health enterprise, has played a pivotal role in the development of the stroke system of care in Abu Dhabi through the Sheikh Khalifa Stroke Institute’s (SKSI) participation in the Abu Dhabi Department of Health-Critical Event Preparedness and Response (CEPAR) Stroke Task Force. SKSI was established as a philanthropic gift from the government of the UAE to Johns Hopkins Medicine, named in honor of the late Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, former President of the UAE. With a strong presence in both the United States and the UAE, the institute aims to enhance stroke care through systems implementation and developing new diagnostic, prevention, and recovery intervention.

By focusing on this critical public health challenge, SKSI is working with collaborators in Abu Dhabi to develop a system of care to enhance access to acute therapies and rehabilitation. The institute's efforts are crucial in developing targeted strategies for prevention, early intervention, and specialized care that can significantly improve outcomes for stroke patients in the region.

Building Global Collaborations and Sharing Innovations at World Stroke Congress 2024

Stroke expert Dr. Victor Urrutia, Director of the Johns Hopkins Sheikh Khalifa Stroke Institute (SKSI), will lead a delegation of ten specialists to the World Stroke Congress (WSC) 2024. The event, now in its sixth edition, is scheduled for October 23-26 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC). The Congress, organized by the World Stroke Organization, aims to bring together scientists and experts from around the world to share their research and experiences in prevention, treatment and recovery of stroke, and raise public awareness about stroke as a critical health issue in the UAE and globally. It will bring together the international stroke community to collaborate on reducing the health burden of strokes by improving prevention, treatment, and recovery strategies.

Dr. Urrutia's team will share valuable insights at WSC 2024. Additionally, four SKSI nursing and therapy specialists will conduct a Pre-Congress Nursing Workshop on October 22, focusing on advanced stroke management techniques.

Speaking on the visit, Dr. Victor Urrutia, says, "Abu Dhabi and the UAE have become global hubs for bringing together international medical expertise around stroke. At SKSI, we aim to transform stroke care through international collaboration, implementation and cutting-edge innovation. Our collaborations in the UAE are improving stroke care by organizing the stroke system and fostering certification of hospitals as stroke centers, and participating in the rehabilitation and survivors’ CEPAR task forces.”

At WSC, Dr. Urrutia will discuss how healthcare organizations can attain stroke certification, establish and manage telestroke networks, and highlight the importance of interdisciplinary care in improving stroke outcomes and treatment standards. The visiting team will also host a reception with prominent figures from the World Stroke Organization, the Middle East and North Africa Stroke Organization, and members of the Center for Emergency Preparedness and Response (CEPAR) Stroke Task Force, among others.

Expanding Access and Excellence in Stroke Care

SKSI recently visited six hospitals in Abu Dhabi's Al Dhafra region to evaluate the hospitals capacity for stroke care. These hospitals provide care for over 300,000 residents. The Institute has also provided training to over 500 healthcare professionals in the UAE, including nurses, physicians, and support staff. These initiatives ensure consistent application of stroke care standards across UAE healthcare facilities.

The training programs have equipped medical personnel with essential skills to assist stroke patients in regaining mobility and accelerating recovery. SKSI is also working with colleagues in Abu Dhabi to improve access to quality rehabilitation after stroke, with the goal of enabling more patients to reclaim their independence and lead more fulfilling lives.

The Institute has played a significant role in helping UAE hospitals, such as Tawam Hospital in Al Ain, to achieve the American Heart Association's (AHA) certification as a Comprehensive Stroke Center. This certification signifies the implementation of state-of-the-art stroke care protocols that enhance patient outcomes.

Through these efforts, SKSI continues to advance stroke care standards and improve the lives of patients across the UAE and beyond.

Sheikh Khalifa Stroke Institute draws on Johns Hopkins Medicine’s vast leadership in stroke diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation, including biomedical research and innovations in stroke treatment; advanced technology design for stroke detection and recovery; acute medical and surgical treatments that improve patient outcomes; brain repair and neuroplasticity research that fosters new approaches to recovery; behavioral recovery programs aimed at reducing post-stroke impairments; and comprehensive stroke systems of care that focus on prevention and public health. This multifaceted strategy ensures that patients receive the most advanced and effective care possible, drawing on the latest developments in stroke research and clinical practice.

For more information on Dr. Victor Urrutia’s team visit to Abu Dhabi and presentations at WSC, please visit worldstrokecongress.org . To learn more about SKSI, please visit Centers of Excellence | Sheikh Khalifa Stroke Institute (hopkinsmedicine.org)

About John Hopkins Medicine

Johns Hopkins Medicine, headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, is an integrated global health

enterprise and one of the leading academic health care systems in the United States. Johns Hopkins Medicine unites physicians and scientists of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine with the organizations, health professionals and facilities of The Johns Hopkins Hospital and Health System.

Johns Hopkins Medicine’s vision, “Together, we will deliver the promise of medicine,” is supported by its mission to improve the health of the community and the world by setting the standard of excellence in medical education, research and clinical care. Diverse and inclusive, Johns Hopkins Medicine educates medical students, scientists, health care professionals and the public; conducts biomedical research; and provides patient-centered medicine to prevent, diagnose and treat human illness.

Johns Hopkins Medicine operates six academic and community hospitals, four suburban health care and surgery centers, over 40 patient care locations, a home care group and an international division, and it offers an array of health care services.

For more information about Johns Hopkins Medicine, its research, education and clinical programs, and for the latest health, science and research news, visit www.hopkinsmedicine.org.

For more information, visit www.hopkinsmedicine.org.