On 21 November 2018, Boehringer Ingelheim introduced its Angels initiative in Kenya during a workshop in Nairobi that brought together neurologists from five hospitals and officials from the Ministry of Health. The company said the programme is meant to strengthen stroke care systems and improve how hospitals respond to emergencies.
The discussion centred on the growing stroke burden in Kenya and across the region. Participants noted that stroke remains a major global killer, with 2016 cited in the workshop as the year it ranked as the leading cause of death worldwide after ischaemic heart disease.
Boehringer Ingelheim said Angels is designed to raise standards of stroke treatment by helping hospitals close care gaps, compare their performance with best practice, build protocols, train staff, run simulations and connect to a wider network. The company said the initiative had already reached hospitals in 41 countries across Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East and South America.
The workshop also highlighted the scale of the problem. Speakers said 17 million people suffer a stroke every year, with one third dying and another third left permanently disabled. They also pointed to risk factors including tobacco use, physical inactivity, unhealthy diets, harmful alcohol use, hypertension, obesity, genetic predisposition and psychological factors.
Dr Dilraj Sokhi, Chairman of the Neurology Society of Kenya, said the burden of stroke in Kenya and sub-Saharan Africa is high and rising. He said many patients still lack access to specialist care because of patient, emergency response and hospital system challenges, including failure to recognise symptoms, delays in treatment and long travel distances to stroke units.
He added that neurologists and physicians should work more closely to inform national policy, standardise stroke care and support research into local risk factors. According to him, that would improve outcomes through acute treatment and prevention.
Dr Chrispine Oduor of Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital said stroke centres are critical in reducing the impact of the disease. He said the focus should be on awareness of best practice and on building a network of fully equipped stroke care centres across Kenya.
Experts at the workshop said treatment should begin as quickly as possible after symptoms appear, ideally within 60 minutes of arrival at hospital, a period they referred to as the Golden Hour.
Ayman Eissa, Head of Human Pharma for Sub-Saharan Africa at Boehringer Ingelheim, said awareness and best practice are key to closing the treatment gap for stroke victims. He said the company supports the creation of stroke-ready hospitals and stroke centres through the Angels initiative by improving acute stroke pathways and helping facilities develop dedicated centres.
Medical experts also reminded the public that recognising stroke symptoms early can save lives. Signs include sudden numbness or weakness on one side of the face, arm or leg, speech problems, trouble with eyesight, loss of balance and a severe headache. They said F.A.S.T. is an easy reminder for Face Dropping, Arm Weakness, Speech Difficulty and Time to call for help.
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