First World Health Organization resolution on stroke at the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly: a turning point for global stroke prevention, care, and health-system readiness.
Stroke is the second leading cause of death and the third leading cause of disability worldwide, with global economic costs exceeding US $890 billion annually and a projected 50% rise in deaths between 2020 and 2050. So far, stroke has been addressed within the WHO Global NCD Action Plan 2023-2030 and the Intersectoral Global Action Plan on Epilepsy and Other Neurological Disorders 2022-2031, but until now no World Health Assembly resolution had been specifically dedicated to stroke.
To present the first World Health Organization (WHO) Resolution specifically dedicated to stroke (EB158/CONF./9), describe its content and significance, and analyse its implications for global public health.
This paper presents and analyses resolution EB158/CONF./9- "Reducing the burden of stroke: strengthening prevention, acute care, rehabilitation and health-system readiness"; as advanced by the WHO Executive Board at its 158th session on 3 February 2026 and recommended to the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly for adoption.Key content of the resolution:In February 2026, the 158th session of the WHO Executive Board advanced the first WHO resolution dedicated to stroke, proposed by Egypt and co-sponsored by Chile, Georgia, Palestine, Paraguay and Tunisia, recommending its adoption at the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly. The resolution frames stroke as a continuum of care and sets out 16 operative actions for Member States (OP1), organized under three categories: (1) primary interventions across the prevention spectrum; (2) acute care and rehabilitation; and (3) surveillance and data; all underpinned by a health‑system strengthening approach. A further eight requests to the Director-General (OP2) provide WHO's mandate to act, covering normative guidance, technical support, monitoring, research, medicines access, regional cooperation, and progress reporting.Public health implication:The resolution establishes a comprehensive stroke action plan across the full continuum of care. Its legacy will depend not on its adoption in Geneva but on whether political commitment is matched by sustained implementation, investment, robust monitoring, and accountability grounded in stroke-specific indicators.
To present the first World Health Organization (WHO) Resolution specifically dedicated to stroke (EB158/CONF./9), describe its content and significance, and analyse its implications for global public health.
This paper presents and analyses resolution EB158/CONF./9- "Reducing the burden of stroke: strengthening prevention, acute care, rehabilitation and health-system readiness"; as advanced by the WHO Executive Board at its 158th session on 3 February 2026 and recommended to the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly for adoption.Key content of the resolution:In February 2026, the 158th session of the WHO Executive Board advanced the first WHO resolution dedicated to stroke, proposed by Egypt and co-sponsored by Chile, Georgia, Palestine, Paraguay and Tunisia, recommending its adoption at the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly. The resolution frames stroke as a continuum of care and sets out 16 operative actions for Member States (OP1), organized under three categories: (1) primary interventions across the prevention spectrum; (2) acute care and rehabilitation; and (3) surveillance and data; all underpinned by a health‑system strengthening approach. A further eight requests to the Director-General (OP2) provide WHO's mandate to act, covering normative guidance, technical support, monitoring, research, medicines access, regional cooperation, and progress reporting.Public health implication:The resolution establishes a comprehensive stroke action plan across the full continuum of care. Its legacy will depend not on its adoption in Geneva but on whether political commitment is matched by sustained implementation, investment, robust monitoring, and accountability grounded in stroke-specific indicators.
Authors
Agboyibor Agboyibor, Ghamari Ghamari, Tye Tye, Schiess Schiess, Dua Dua, Pandian Pandian, Fredin Grupper Fredin Grupper, Martins Martins, Norrving Norrving, Cieza Cieza
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