(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) has launched a campaign to raise public awareness on the signs and symptoms of stroke and the action to take if they suspect a stroke.
HMC has made great progress in recent years to restructure stroke care and develop a specialist Stroke Ward at Hamad General Hospital (HGH) ensuring patients are given the safest, most effective and compassionate care possible.
Dr Naveed Akhtar, director of the Stroke Ward, said that people have an important role to play in tackling the issue. "Fast and specialised medical intervention is the key to successful treatment for stroke patients. Time is brain, meaning the faster the treatment for a stroke, better the chances of recovery. To ensure we are able to treat stroke patients quickly, it is vital that the public know the signs and symptoms of stroke so they can identify the issue and immediately call 999 for help."
The awareness campaign uses the internationally-established F.A.S.T. message to highlight the major signs of stroke.
F - Face drooping: Has your face suddenly drooped on one side or do you have difficulty smiling?
A - Arm weakness: Are you unable to raise both arms?
S - Speech problems: Do you have difficulty speaking or being understood by other people?
T - Time is ticking: Call 999 immediately
The first phase of the campaign, which will run until Ramadan, features radio and television commercials, advertising in newspapers, print media and online, and campaign messages in shopping malls.
Prof Ashfaq Shuaib, director of HMC's Neurosciences Institute, explained the importance of the awareness campaign: "Every day, we see four or five new stroke cases at HGH and the average age of stroke patients in Qatar is far younger than you would see in Europe or America. It is absolutely essential that the public are familiar with the signs and symptoms of stroke so that if they suspect a stroke they can call 999 immediately and our care teams can respond."
Ali al-Khater, executive director of Corporate Communications, explained HMC's health promotion efforts: "This much-needed campaign highlights HMC's commitment to promote health and well-being to the population of Qatar. We place great value on working with the public to raise awareness of important health messages. Al Seha magazine, the Kulluna for health and safety campaign, the Hamad Injury Prevention Programme and the ongoing diabetes campaign are all wonderful examples of HMC's commitment to improving the health of the nation."
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.