The Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre (SLBMC), in collaboration with the University of Miami Stroke Team and led by Dr. Gillian Gordon-Perue, successfully hosted a two-day Stroke Training Summit aimed at strengthening stroke care protocols and advancing the hospital’s ambition of becoming a certified Essential Stroke Centre under the World Stroke Organization (WSO).
This hybrid summit represents a major step forward for stroke care in Antigua and Barbuda. The training included a comprehensive site inspection and welcomed distinguished regional and international participants, including Dr. Sheila Martins, Immediate Past President of the World Stroke Organization. Local physicians, nurses, and emergency medical technicians attended the event, which marked the culmination of six weeks of virtual training in stroke management and protocols. Presentations addressed critical areas such as Acute Ischemic Stroke Management Beyond Thrombolysis and emphasized the importance of rapid, coordinated response in stroke care.
Medical Director, Dr. Shivon Belle-Jarvis, emphasized the urgency of addressing stroke as one of the world’s leading causes of death and disability. Referencing the 2021 Global Burden of Disease Study, she noted that the widespread presence of modifiable risk factors—combined with the high prevalence of multimorbidity—continues to challenge health systems. “We must embrace personal responsibility for health,” she stated, while also calling on health institutions to optimize prevention strategies and multidisciplinary care. “At SLBMC, our goal is to improve patient outcomes by consistently delivering high-quality, specialized stroke care,” she said, while commending Consultant Neurologist Dr. Gaden Osborne and the entire neurology team for leading this transformative effort.
Delivering opening remarks, Hon. Senator Michael Joseph, Junior Minister of Health, highlighted the far-reaching impact of stroke in Antigua and Barbuda, noting its effects on families, communities, and health systems. “Stroke is one of those health issues that touches more lives than we often talk about,” he said. “But in every case, what’s clear is this: time matters. Response matters. Preparedness matters.” He commended the leadership of SLBMC for their vision and reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to supporting efforts that strengthen resilience, build capacity, and elevate standards of care.
Senator Joseph praised the summit’s emphasis on collaboration, stating, “This is not only a medical challenge — it’s a systems challenge. The partnerships on display here with the World Stroke Organization and global experts reflect a growing mindset: one that says we’re not satisfied with the bare minimum. We want to lead.”
This summit represents the beginning of a larger commitment by SLBMC to improve stroke care delivery in Antigua and Barbuda and position the institution as a regional leader in specialized neurological care
