Medtronic and World Stroke Organization ally on stroke awareness project

Medtronic has announced a new collaboration with the World Stroke Organization (WSO), with the aim of increasing stroke awareness through several initiatives.

The organisations have agreed to work together to educate, raise awareness and support effective management of patients who have strokes, continuing the momentum generated by the recent Stroke is Treatable campaign for World Stroke Day.

Key initiatives include the implementation of the WSO's new global stroke services guidelines, publicising its Roadmap to Delivering Quality Stroke Care, and supporting global clinical educational programmes such as the World Stroke Academy and teaching courses.

Clinical education courses will be tailored to individual countries' needs, with Beijing, the Philippines and Hyderabad among the regions to be specifically targeted.

Stacey Pugh, vice-president and general manager of the neurovascular business at Medtronic, said: "WSO provides dynamic education programmes utilising various mediums to reach a broad swath of caregivers in the stroke field. We're proud to help bring these targeted courses to countries working to improve stroke care."

The firm also announced a 13 percent increase in its quarterly cash dividend this week. This means its dividend per share has nearly quadrupled over the past decade and has grown at an 18 percent compound annual growth rate over the past 39 years.