UAE launches stroke institute in US

Washington, Feb 1 (IANS/WAM) A new institute for stroke research and clinical care was announced on Thursday by the UAE Embassy and Johns Hopkins University here.

The Sheikh Khalifa Stroke Institute, funded by a "$50 million gift" from the United Arab Emirates, will focus on Johns Hopkins' efforts to leverage advances in engineering, artificial intelligence and precision medicine to better diagnose, treat and restore function to stroke patients.

"We are grateful for the UAE's gift, which enables us to leverage our strengths in neurology, physical medicine and rehabilitation in combination with our expertise in biomedical engineering and patient safety to develop new tools for stroke diagnosis, treatment and recovery," said Paul Rothman, MD, Dean of the Medical Faculty and CEO of Johns Hopkins Medicine.

The new institute in Baltimore builds upon Johns Hopkins' leadership in the treatment of stroke and other neurological conditions. It will house two centres of excellence around which new research and patient care efforts will be designed.

About one third of people who have strokes die each year, accounting for 5.5 million people worldwide, according to the World Health Organisation. Of the survivors, two thirds leave the hospital with a disability, as reported by the UK Stroke Association.

--IANS/WAM

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