Cape Town - Karl Bremer Hospital has become the first hospital in the Western Cape to receive Gold Status in the 2023 World Stroke Organisation (WSO) Angels Awards.
The announcement was made ahead of World Hypertension Day, observed annually on May 17. The Angels Initiative is a global community of stroke centres and stroke-ready hospitals, working to increase the quality of treatment for every stroke patient.
The organisation recognises high-performing hospitals, like Karl Bremer Hospital, that have consistently recorded and provided data that will aid research and help identify points of improvement in the treatment of stroke patients.
Karl Bremer Hospital’s Head of Internal Medicine, Dr De Vries Basson, said the hospital joined the Angels initiative to improve stroke care and empower staff. The hospital has been recognised for its contributions in the first quarter of 2023.
“I think that this is a very important initiative. The Angels Initiative was launched to support hospitals, and its aim is to get more health-care facilities stroke ready. This means that we can provide improved stroke care to all who visit Karl Bremer Hospital.”
Dr Basson hopes that hospitals and health-care facilities will join the initiative.
“We need more and more hospitals in South Africa to not just join Angels, but also record their stroke data. Recording stroke care data helps to monitor the progress of a stroke unit or stroke team. It also helps to compare your hospital’s stroke care and to learn from hospitals across the country and the world.”
The Angels Initiative provides training to hospitals as well as Emergency Medical Services, with the aim of improving stroke patients’ health outcomes. Dr Basson adds: “They have also supported us with workshops, roadshows, information packs and stroke-ready packs for our hospital. In other hospitals, the organisation has assisted with setting up a stroke unit or stroke team.”
Angels senior co-ordinator for South Africa, Namibia and Botswana Renathe van der Merwe congratulated the hospital on its contribution to improving stroke care.
“On behalf of the Angels Initiative, I would like to send our sincere congratulations to the Karl Bremer stroke team on achieving a WSO Angels Gold Award for quarter one of 2023!
“For Karl Bremer to be the first hospital in the Western Cape is excellent and a job very well done! Your contribution to the quality monitoring programme is highly appreciated and valued and considered as a significant step for stroke care improvement in South Africa,” Van der Merwe said.