MESSAGE BY THE PRESIDENT OF NATIONAL STROKE ASSOCIATION OF SRI LANAKA
MESSAGE BY THE PRESIDENT OF NATIONAL STROKE ASSOCIATION OF SRI LANAKA
I wish to thank our membership for electing me as the 8th President of the National Stroke Association of Sri Lanka (NSASL). I welcome you to our web site which gives you brief out line of our history, past and future activities, how to get involved and what you need to know about stroke.
Stroke is a major cause of disability and death and is the commonest cause of permanent disability worldwide. The National Stroke Association of Sri Lanka (NSASL) has brought together both medical and non-medical persons interested in improving stroke care in Sri Lanka. NSASL was launched in January 2001 by a team of specialist doctors and professionals lead by Dr Jagath Wijesekera, eminent Consultant Neurologist and Founder President, with the objectives of reducing the burden of stroke and improving the quality of stroke care in Sri Lanka. Its activities are governed by an executive committee of members appointed annually. Over the two decades of its existence the NSASL carried out numerous projects, out of which winning the Gold Award of the World Stroke Organization for its activities organized for the celebration of World Stroke Day in 2009 is remarkable. Organizing the Asia Pacific Stroke Conference in September 2011 was another exciting experience. The NSASL has made major contributions to the medical profession and for the public. A National Stroke Day (last Sunday of February every year) was declared by NSASL in 2001 even before the World Stroke Day was declared by World Stroke Organization.
NSASL plays a major role in increasing knowledge and awareness of stroke among the public in Sri Lanka with the aim of prevention of stroke. This has been achieved through the stroke walks and free health camps for stroke screening organized in Colombo and other districts annually, press conferences, meetings at places of work and schools, programs on electronic media and articles on print media. Patient information leaflets to educate the public and patients on awareness and prevention of stroke and book on Stroke Care for the care givers have been published in all three languages by the association for distribution. The association also conducts regular programs and workshops to train doctors and nurses involved in both emergency stroke care and stroke rehabilitation and also to train care givers of stroke victims. In fulfilling the objective towards the development of a comprehensive and optimal Stroke service in Sri Lanka, NSASL has closely liaised with the Ministry of Health to set up Stroke Units in all Teaching and Provincial General Hospitals. In addition, the National Stroke Hospital project is ongoing in Colombo East. In parallel with the setting up of stroke units, clot buster treatment (thrombolysis) is now made available in major hospitals. To encourage, promote and support research related to stroke, a Stroke Registry has been established connecting most Stroke Units. The association has also worked closely with the Ministry of Social Services to appoint social workers to the stroke units to facilitate provision of benefits to disabled stroke patients in terms of wheel chairs, assistive devices, improvements to the patient’s homes and to provide methods of income generation through self-employment or disability allowances. In funding the activities mentioned above, the association (which is an approved charity) depends entirely on pubic donations in addition to its fund-raising activities held from time to time.
Among our activities planned for this year are World Stroke Day Media Seminar, media awareness programs and programs conducted by the Regional Stroke units especially for healthcare personnel. At the National Stroke day next year we will be commemorating our 20th Anniversary and the program to mark this will be appearing on our website soon.
I welcome all of you to join hands with the National Stroke Association of Sri Lanka in its activities aimed at “bringing light to darkness” brought on by stroke.
Dr. Harsha Gunasekara
President – NSASL