Improving hypertension control and stroke care in Madagascar by strengthening the health system along the care cascade
Situation:
Stroke and cardiovascular disease cause many deaths and long-term disability in Madagascar. At the same time, access to prevention, acute care and rehabilitation remains highly limited, especially in the south. Hypertension, the leading risk factor, is often detected and treated too late. Many people live far from health facilities, and high treatment costs create an additional barrier to seeking care early.
Objectives:
The project aims to reduce mortality and long-term disability caused by hypertension and stroke in southern Madagascar. To achieve this, the project team strengthens prevention in communities, improve early detection and treatment of hypertension, expand referral systems for stroke patients, and strengthen acute care and rehabilitation in participating health facilities.
The project measures how people are reached along the care cascade: through trained community health workers, health information on hypertension and stroke, rehabilitation and emergency referrals, strengthened stroke care in regional hospitals, and scientific evaluation and publications.
The projekt team trains community health workers and health professionals, strengthen awareness on hypertension and stroke in the communities, and improve referral pathways for patients. In regional hospitals, we build multidisciplinary teams, improve acute care and rehabilitation, and support the introduction of standardized care pathways.
The project builds stroke care where specialized services have so far been very limited. Local teams are trained, supported in their daily work and strengthened to further develop prevention, acute care and rehabilitation themselves. Standardized procedures and local trainers help keep knowledge in the region and anchor it in the health system long term.
What makes the project special is its focus on stroke and hypertension as growing but often neglected health issues in Madagascar. The project connects community awareness, improved referral pathways, acute care, rehabilitation and research. This supports patients along the entire care cascade.
Further information: https://www.doctorsformadagascar.com/
