Collaboration with APPNA MERIT/APPNA ISCC
Our collaboration with APPNA MERIT and APPNA ISCC was established to strengthen stroke care in Pakistan through structured medical education and data-driven quality improvement using the SITS Registry.
The initiative began with participating stroke physicians entering baseline data reflecting routine clinical practice. Following focused education provided by APPNA MERIT, centers continued systematic data entry to monitor changes in stroke care and alignment with international guidelines.
Led by medical experts from Canada, the United Kingdom, the Middle East, and Pakistan, and conducted in close collaboration with the SITS National Coordinator and hospital stroke coordinators, this ongoing partnership aims to advance standardized, evidence-based stroke care nationwide.
Read more about the initiative here
Shahid Rafiq, MD
Board certified Vascular Neurologist and Stroke Director.
Frederick Health and Holycross Health.
Frederick, MD USA
“SITS serves as our primary registry for stroke centers across low- and middle-income, resource-limited countries. It is a comprehensive and free platform that supports the safe implementation of evidence-based stroke treatments. The data collected through SITS plays a critical role in advancing research and driving continuous performance improvement initiatives.
This invaluable resource is particularly important for developing countries, as it helps ensure the highest possible standards of clinical care for patients with stroke. Stroke remains a leading cause of disability worldwide, and in many cases, the affected individual is the sole breadwinner of the family. By strengthening stroke systems of care through structured data and quality monitoring, SITS contributes meaningfully to improving outcomes and preserving livelihoods”.
Pakistan is passing through an era of evolution in stroke care. In recent years we have made significant improvements in developing stroke systems. SITS International is one of the largest global stroke treatment registries and can be used by low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) such as Pakistan. Integration with SITS can help standardize national stroke data, link Pakistani stroke centers to global datasets, quality improvement programs, and international research collaborations.
Prof. Husnain Hashim
Professor of Neurology and Stroke Medicine SITS National Coordinator Pakistan