Medical professionals at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital have expressed concerns over a significant rise in the annual number of recorded stroke cases at the facility.
Neurologists from the hospital report an alarming statistic, with approximately 1000 stroke cases annually, marking a staggering 500% increase compared to previous years. This surge has prompted the implementation of interventions, including the introduction of thrombolysis for stroke treatment at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.
Thrombolysis is a medical procedure designed to break up abnormal blood clots that impede blood flow in veins and arteries. This specific intervention aims to address strokes detected within a 24-hour window.
Prof. Fred Stephen Sarfo, a neurologist at the Komfo Anokye Hospital, expressed deep concern about the rising number of stroke cases. He emphasized the necessity of thrombolysis while condemning the actions of unqualified herbalists claiming to have a cure for stroke.
Prof. Fred Stephen Sarfo explained, “When you look at the numbers we have currently, in a year, we admit about one thousand patients with stroke as compared to the 1980s, which admitted about 200 stroke patients in a year. So over the 40 years, there has been an almost 500% increase in the number of stroke patients admitted annually in Komfo Anokye alone, and the picture is similar in most of the health facilities across the country.”
He further clarified the mechanism behind stroke, stating, “When somebody suffers a stroke, essentially, what happens is that there’s a blood clot sitting in the vessel taking blood to the brain so the reason why the person cannot talk or has paralysis is because a part of the brain is not working because it is not receiving blood. So that blood clot that is preventing blood from getting to the part of the brain is what we seek to dissolve with treatment (thrombolysis) so that we can restore blood flow to the brain to cure the stroke.”
At the launch of the implementation of thrombolysis in stroke treatment, Prof. Dr. Otchere Addai-Mensah, the CEO of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, expressed concern about the surge in cases. He urged individuals with stroke or suspected stroke to seek immediate treatment at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.
