A new Global Stroke Action Coalition has launched to encourage governments worldwide to address growing inequities in stroke care.
Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. According to the new coalition, whose members include the World Stroke Organization (WSO), Stroke Association UK, and the Society of Vascular and Interventional Neurology, although clear opportunities exist around stroke prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation, services are currently only available to a ‘fraction’ of stroke patients.
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The coalition highlighted that only 3% of medically eligible patients currently receive thrombectomy, with 20%-40% of global healthcare settings yet to implement basic stroke rehabilitation services.
In September 2025, the 4th High-Level UN Meeting on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) will take place. Stroke is a treatable, preventable, and recoverable disease, and the coalition will urge governments attending the meeting to commit to five key actions to ‘seize the moment’ and shape the next 25 years of action on NCDs.
The actions include making stroke a priority in NCD prevention and control strategies to ensure the disease becomes an ‘explicit and integral’ part of national and internal health agendas, implementing stroke monitoring systems, and committing to funding evidence-based interventions and financing models, such as taxing harmful substances.
Research by the WSO forecasts that stroke mortality will rise by 50% by 2050, with the majority of cases occurring in low- and middle-income countries. The rise will equate to $2.31trn in annual costs, up from $891bn in 2017.
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By GlobalDataCoalition co-chair Professor Bo Norrving noted that stroke burden has doubled within the past 30 years. And with ‘huge advances’ made across the care pathway throughout that same period, Norrving said there exist ‘incredible opportunities’ to reduce inequitable health outcomes and make ‘significant progress’ towards global health and development targets.
Norrving commented: “Committing to the development of national stroke plans should be a key priority for governments as part of their forward strategy for prevention and control of NCDs.
“We can’t afford to wait another 30 years to turn this around. Millions of lives depend on governments taking action now.”
