AS Nigeria joins the rest of the world to mark the World Stroke Day 2025, the Nigerian Stroke Organization and the Nigerian Society of Neurological Sciences (NSNS) have issued a warning that although strokes typically occur abruptly and are generally painless, one in two victims globally still die as a result of delayed detection and treatment.
In a release jointly signed by NSO’s President, Prof Abayomi Ogun, and NSNS’s President, Prof Morenikeji Komolafe, they stated that Nigeria has a crude incidence of stroke of 26 per 100,000 population, and up to 4 out of every 10 stroke patients die within 30 days of stroke occurrence.
According to them, with stroke, every minute counts, and knowing how to spot the signs of stroke and raising the alert for help doesn’t just save lives, it increases the chance of a full recovery so that stroke survivors can go on to live their best life.
They stated, “Unlike a heart attack, however, unless accompanied by a severe headache, a stroke is generally painless, which is why too many patients ignore symptoms until it is too late.”
They declared that the sudden weaknesses or numbness in the face, arm or leg on one side of the body, and loss of speech or trouble speaking or understanding speech are the most common signs of stroke.
“The symptoms of stroke appear suddenly, and often more than one symptom occurs at the same time. Unlike a heart attack, however, unless accompanied by a severe headache, a stroke is generally painless, which is why too many patients ignore symptoms until it is too late,” the statement said.
According to the experts, every minute counts with stroke, and everybody needs to learn to spot the signs of stroke because stroke cuts off the supply of blood and oxygen to the brain, thus killing millions of brain cells.
“Every minute it goes untreated, millions of cells die. The longer the time gap, the more likely people are to be left with long-term brain damage that affects their ability to walk, talk and manage everyday tasks on their own. So, quick action to restore the blood supply to the brain is therefore vital to arrest the damage and prevent further loss of function,” they explained.
They warned that every Nigerian is at risk of having a stroke, but the risk is higher among older people and those with a family history of stroke.
They stated that high, uncontrolled blood pressure, dyslipidaemia (abnormal levels of cholesterol), central obesity, diabetes mellitus and unhealthy diets were also predisposing factors to stroke in Nigerians.
“Up to 15% of all strokes occur in adults younger than 50, but by quitting smoking, moving more, choosing healthy foods and keeping blood pressure under control, almost everyone can protect themselves from a potentially devastating event,” they said.
As a strategic step towards reducing the burden of stroke in Nigeria, they also announced the launch of a Nigerian National Stroke Registry to enhance effective planning, improve clinical outcomes, support training, and promote equitable access to stroke care.
