What has inspired you to be involved in stroke support?
My stroke support journey started as
a teenager when my best friend’s father had a stroke in the 1970’s. When we
went to visit him in the general medical ward at the teaching hospital it was
frightening to see a previously active man paralysed, unable to speak and restricted to the bed. This made me want to know more about strokes so I ended
up volunteering in Cheshire Homes in Uwani Enugu, Nigeria. Later my paternal
aunt had a stroke whilst out shopping in Onitsha Nigeria. Without any ambulance
to take her to the hospital or stroke unit care she had a tough time. Since
then, I saw my father in law, my maternal aunt and my first cousin all have a
stroke. Apart from my maternal aunt, all
these people have died. I came to realise early that stroke can happen to
anyone and is no respecter of persons. I resolved to do everything I can to
help prevent strokes.
How did the project
come about?
As a senior nursing sister in London,
UK, I soon realised that the majority of the black and minority ethnic patients on
my ward either have one or two stroke risk factors, such as diabetes and
hypertension, or, already have suffered a stroke. I then embarked on a massive
strategic advocacy for better stroke awareness, prevention and care. This led
to my winning the UK Department of Health’s Mary Seacole Nursing Leadership
Award and establishing Stroke Action UK as a local stroke support organisation in
Enfield Borough in March 2000. The charity supports stroke survivors, carers and
at-risk people offering stroke advice, information, prevention advice clinic,
rehabilitation and support to cope with life after a stroke. It is this model
of care that has now been replicated as Stroke Action Nigeria since 2012.
What does stroke
support look like in Nigeria?
Prior to the establishment of Stroke
Action Nigeria in 2012 as a national stroke support organisation, there was no organised
stroke support in Nigeria. Stroke patients were admitted into general medical
wards if they were lucky to get to the hospital, and then, discharged home
without any organised stroke care and community based support. At the
inauguration of Stroke Action Nigeria on World Stroke Day 2012, we recruited
and trained 28 Stroke Ambassadors (healthcare professionals, stroke survivors,
carers, lay people). The Stroke Ambassadors were then supported to establish stroke support groups across eight states in Nigeria including: Abuja FCT, Anambra,
Benue, Delta, Edo, Imo, Lagos, Ogun States.
Most recently however, there has been
new stroke support organisations established by other people and this is good
news for stroke survivors and carers in Nigeria.
What have been the
highs so far for your project?
First and foremost, stroke survivors
across eight states have access to basic stroke information, prevention advice
and befriending through local stroke support groups. Furthermore, citizens have
access to opportunistic community based health checks and prevention advice provided
by our committed Stroke Ambassadors. We also have two Life After Stroke Centres
in donated buildings in Abuja and Onitsha enabling stroke survivors and their
carers to do extraordinary things.
Signing an MOU with the Federal
Ministry of Health in 2013 was added value as it helped us to commence an annual
Power to Stop Strokes Campaign incorporating the Stroke Assembly Conference and
Walk and Run Against Strokes activity, as well as the inauguration of the
first ever multi-disciplinary Nigeria Stroke Reference Group. These
achievements enabled us to win the 2015 World Stroke Day Award.
What have been some
of the outcomes of the projects?
For the first time in Nigeria, stroke
is receiving national media and political attention due in part to our
strategic advocacy. New stroke units have been established in Benin, Ilorin,
Ibadan, Ife and Lagos. New stroke support groups have also emerged.
Stroke survivors and their carers are
attending our Life After Stroke Centres to get ongoing support with their
stroke recovery journey. Our Stroke Ambassadors are doing the best they can to
facilitate the stroke support groups and Life After Stroke Centres with little
or no financial support. There is so much work to be done and resources are needed
to achieve positive outcomes.
A significant outcome is my
appointment as an Ashoka Fellow for Health in July 2017. Over the coming years,
we will be supported by the Ashoka Foundation to scale up our operations and
make more impact.
What has been the
feedback from stroke survivors to the project?
Stroke survivors and their carers are
telling us that they are benefiting from the services that Stroke Action
provides. We are seeing increased awareness and knowledge of strokes, optimal
management of stroke risk factors, improvement in emotional wellbeing, and
physical functioning, and reduced social isolation. 90% of the stroke survivors
told us that attending our Life After Stroke Centres in Nigeria was the first
time they have come out of their homes since having a stroke.
This month at the Onitsha Life After Stroke Centre we celebrated a 34 yr old graduate female stroke survivor whose
Barthel Index Score increased from 7 to 9, and a 72-year-old whose score increased
from 15 to 17 in one month. This is their first time of receiving stroke
rehabilitation and support.
Adelle, the daughter of a stroke survivor
in Lagos said “….my mother
has fully recovered. I thank you for all the help you gave getting her well”.
What has been the response from others – community, doctors,
politicians?
In
Onitsha, His Royal Majesty, Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha donated
a building that is home to the Onitsha Life After Stroke Centre. We also
received the 2017 Achievement Award from the Onitsha Indigenous Community.
We
have several doctors who became Volunteer Stroke Ambassadors because they value
the contribution that Stroke Action makes to stroke care in Nigeria. Some of
the doctors include Consultant Physician Dr John Mba who donated the building
that hosts the Abuja Life After Stroke Centre, Professor Sunday Bwala, Chief
Consultant Neurologist who is honorary adviser and the chair of Nigeria Stroke
Reference Group; Dr Ogugua Osi-Ogbo Consultant Gerontologist who is our Lead
Stroke Ambassador in Abuja; Dr Ann Ojimba, Consultant in Public Health Medicine
who is our Lead Stroke Ambassador in Delta State and Dr Biodun Ogungbo,
Consultant Neurosurgeon who is a Director of Stroke Action Nigeria.
Support
from the Honourable Minister of Health to sign the MOU was a milestone with
Politicians. Due to the transient nature of political appointments and
competing priorities for politicians in Nigeria, building sustainable
relationship with politicians is an area that more work needs to be done.
For more information on Stroke Action visit: http://www.strokeactionnigeria.com/
For more information on Stroke Action visit: http://www.strokeactionnigeria.com/
