The National Stroke Service Conference of Kazakhstan, held in Astana on 4 and 5 July, was dedicated to two remarkable milestones – the 10th anniversary of the Republican Coordination Center for Stroke Care of Kazakhstan and, symbolically, the 10th anniversary of the Angels Initiative.
School of Stroke 2026 brought together more than 200 stroke care professionals, including representatives from all 85 stroke centers across Kazakhstan, and chief neurologists from all 20 regions of the country. This outstanding level of engagement demonstrates Kazakhstan’s strong commitment to improving stroke systems of care and achieving better outcomes for patients nationwide, Angels consultant Lev Pystupiuk said.
“This year was particularly significant as the World Stroke Organization took an active role in the organization and delivery of the conference. The presence of WSO President Prof. Jeyaraj Durai Pandian and WSO President-Elect Dr. Craig Anderson highlighted the growing collaboration between national, regional, and global stroke leaders.”
Together with the Angels Initiative, represented by Lev and Maria Sheverdina, the WSO delivered a joint session on Decision Making in Stroke Care and, on the second day, a collaborative workshop focused on
✅ Quality monitoring in stroke care
✅ WSO Stroke Center Certification
✅ Acute Stroke Management Tactics: Key Decisions in Clinical Practice
✅ Practical approaches to continuous quality improvement
An additional highlight was the hands-on simulation training for stroke centers using the Body Interact virtual patient platform, enabling participants to strengthen clinical decision-making skills in realistic acute stroke scenarios.
Lev says, “We also discussed key elements of the Angels Initiative Regional Approach, sharing practical strategies on how regions can work together to achieve the ambitious goal of becoming an Angels Region through excellence in stroke care pathways, quality monitoring, and multidisciplinary collaboration.”
Dr. Oleksandr Tolubaiev, Deputy Chief Medical Director of the Mechnikov Dnipro Regional Clinical Hospital and a neurologist, delivered a presentation entitled Optimizing Stroke Care Pathway: Implementation of Pre-notification and Checklists.
Drawing on the experience of his institution, Dr. Tolubaiev highlighted the successful implementation of structured stroke pathways, where the rate of reperfusion therapy through intravenous thrombolysis has reached 13.5%, while the rate of mechanical thrombectomy has reached 13%.
He also shared Ukraine’s national experience in stroke care development, noting that the nationwide thrombolysis rate reached 17% in 2025, reflecting significant progress in expanding access to evidence-based acute stroke treatment across the country.
Lev and Maria expressed their gratitude to the organizers, speakers, moderators, and all participants who contributed to making this anniversary conference such a meaningful and impactful event. Lev said, “The dedication of Kazakhstan’s stroke community is a powerful example of what can be achieved when healthcare professionals unite around a common mission: giving stroke patients’ life a chance.”
