A global medical organization dedicated to advancing stroke care, neurological education, and health equity for 1.4 billion people across the African continent and its diaspora.
Sub-Saharan Africa bears a disproportionate burden of non-communicable diseases. Neurological conditions are the leading cause of disability. The African Diaspora Stroke Alliance Foundation exists to change this through science, training, and equity.
Closing the vast gap in access to certified vascular neurologists and advanced stroke care across underserved African communities.
Deploying telemedicine solutions that connect remote hospitals to expert stroke neurologists in real time, anywhere in the world.
Building self-sufficient neurological education infrastructure through direct teaching, distance learning, and international exchanges.
Generating evidence-based tools for stroke recognition, prevention, and treatment adapted to the African clinical and linguistic context.
Harnessing diaspora knowledge, networks, and resources to drive health equity initiatives across the continent.
Forging cross-institutional collaborations with academic medical centers, governments, and NGOs to scale impact across all 54 nations.
Dr. Mehari Gebreyohanns is a nationally recognized stroke specialist, clinician, educator, and global health innovator at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. As an Associate Professor of Neurology, he leads the university's telestroke outreach program — connecting North Texas community hospitals to expert stroke care in real time.
His career is defined by a singular mission: bringing world-class neurological care to the millions of Africans who are shut out of it. He is recognized across the medical community for his innovative approach to dismantling structural barriers in global healthcare.
"A very important part of my job is to ease the distress of patients and their families at their most vulnerable moment. To gain and maintain the trust of these patients and their families is an awesome privilege and a great responsibility."
— Dr. Mehari Gebreyohanns, UT Southwestern Medical CenterIn a landmark contribution to African health literacy, Dr. Gebreyohanns created the first word for "stroke" in the Ethiopian language of Amharic — enabling culturally specific diagnostic tools for tens of millions of speakers.
Bahir Dar Outreach for Neuroscience Education — a replicable model for closing the neurological care gap in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Dr. Gebreyohanns launched the BORNE Initiative to confront a staggering reality: seven million people in one region of Ethiopia had absolutely no access to a neurologist. The problem was not temporary — it was structural.
The BORNE model fuses academic institutional education with direct teaching and distance learning, creating a self-sustaining infrastructure for neurological care. It was designed to build — and leave behind — local capacity.
Through BORNE, medical residents and faculty travel to Ethiopia for immersive clinical exchanges, while telemedicine platforms connect distant rural hospitals to expert care in real time.
BORNE has become a proven model for replication across Sub-Saharan Africa — demonstrating that the gap between world-class neurological knowledge and those who need it can be systematically closed.
In the Bahir Dar region of Ethiopia alone, seven million people had zero access to a neurologist before BORNE — one of the most acute neurological care deserts on the planet.
Dr. Gebreyohanns created the first word for "stroke" in Amharic, spoken by 25+ million people. This linguistic breakthrough unlocked entirely new possibilities for stroke education across Ethiopia.
Through mobile telemedicine, physicians at remote community hospitals can consult UT Southwestern stroke neurologists in real time — via handheld devices, regardless of location.
Dr. Gebreyohanns's published work has shaped global understanding of stroke disparities, mechanical thrombectomy access, and culturally adapted interventions for African populations.
Six interconnected programs form the operational core of the African Diaspora Stroke Alliance Foundation's work across the continent and diaspora.
Stroke is a medical emergency. Recognizing the signs immediately and acting within minutes can mean the difference between recovery and permanent disability.
During a stroke, approximately 1.9 million neurons die every minute. Rapid response is the single most important factor in a patient's outcome. Do not wait — call emergency services the moment you observe symptoms.
The African Diaspora Stroke Alliance Foundation provides multilingual stroke recognition tools, including Amharic-language resources, to ensure no community is left without access to this critical information.
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