RAS AL KHAIMAH, 22nd July, 2026 (WAM) -- Sheikh Khalifa Specialty Hospital (SKSH), governed by The Medical Office, is reinforcing the importance of stroke prevention, early recognition and immediate access to specialised care on World Brain Day.

The hospital is encouraging the community to better understand stroke risk factors, recognise early warning signs and seek urgent medical attention when symptoms occur.

According to SKSH, timely intervention remains one of the most important factors in improving stroke outcomes, with rapid diagnosis and treatment helping to reduce stroke-associated disability and save lives. Supporting patients across the Northern Emirates, the hospital provides round-the-clock emergency stroke care as the region's first and only American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA)-certified Comprehensive Stroke Centre.

Through SKSH's specialised Neuroscience Centre, the hospital offers rapid diagnosis, advanced brain imaging, intravenous thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy, one of the most effective minimally invasive procedures for removing blockages in major brain arteries and restoring blood flow to the brain.

Since 2020, SKSH has treated 713 stroke patients, including a record 207 cases in 2025 and 119 cases during the first half of 2026, reflecting its growing role in providing specialised stroke care across the Northern Emirates.

Dr. Heui Seung Lee, MD, PhD, Chair of the Neuroscience Centre and Consultant Neurosurgeon and Neurointerventionist at Sheikh Khalifa Specialty Hospital, said, "On World Brain Day, we continue our commitment to delivering timely, evidence-based stroke and neurovascular care that meets the highest international standards. Guided by the message 'Time is Brain', we recognise that every minute is critical in determining a patient's outcome. Early recognition of stroke symptoms, rapid diagnosis and immediate intervention can significantly reduce disability and save lives. Through our Neuroscience Centre, Sheikh Khalifa Specialty Hospital continues to expand access to advanced stroke services, including mechanical thrombectomy and comprehensive neurovascular care, while strengthening public awareness, prevention and early detection initiatives. Our goal is to improve patient outcomes, enhance quality of life and contribute to advancing brain health across the UAE."

As part of its World Brain Day awareness campaign, SKSH is encouraging the community to remember the internationally recognised FAST warning signs of stroke: Beyond acute stroke management, SKSH also performs a wide range of advanced neurovascular procedures, including cerebral aneurysm embolisation, intracranial stenting, arteriovenous malformation (AVM) embolisation and carotid artery interventions, further strengthening access to highly specialised neurological care in the region.