Est. by Dr. Mehari Gebreyohanns, MD, FAHA
ADSAF unites the African diaspora, world-class neurologists, and local communities to advance stroke care, education, and health equity for 1.4 billion people.
Tap any country on the map for population & stroke-burden data.
Sub-Saharan Africa bears a disproportionate burden of non-communicable disease, and neurological conditions are the leading cause of disability. ADSAF 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 that connects remote hospitals to expert stroke neurologists in real time, anywhere in the world.
Building self-sufficient neurological education through direct teaching, distance learning, and international exchanges.
Creating evidence-based tools for stroke recognition, prevention, and treatment adapted to Africa's clinical and linguistic context.
Harnessing diaspora knowledge, networks, and resources to drive health-equity initiatives across the continent.
Forging 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 Center
In 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.
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 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.
Co-led landmark conference proceedings documenting the rising burden of stroke in Africa, with steep incidence increases in low- and middle-income countries over three decades.
Analyzed access disparities to life-saving mechanical thrombectomy across African healthcare systems, identifying structural barriers and pathways for equitable intervention.
Pioneering bilingual study demonstrating measurable improvement in stroke knowledge using Amharic-language video education tools — the first of their kind in any African language.
Multi-center retrospective analysis of EMS prenotification patterns for stroke code patients — contributing to faster, more coordinated acute care delivery frameworks.
Active research with Dallas's Ethiopian diaspora community to co-design and validate stroke awareness tools with direct application across the continent.
Six interconnected programs form the operational core of ADSAF's work across the continent and diaspora.
Connecting African hospitals to certified vascular neurologists through mobile-enabled real-time consultation, 24/7.
Sending medical residents and faculty to Ethiopia for immersive clinical and cultural exchanges that build lasting partnerships.
Translating stroke education, symptom recognition tools, and treatment guidelines into Amharic and other African languages.
Equipping regional hospitals with protocols, training, and technology to deliver evidence-based acute stroke care independently.
Annual scientific forum uniting African stroke researchers, clinicians, and global experts to set the continental research agenda.
Engaging African diaspora communities in the U.S. and Europe to co-design and validate stroke intervention tools.
Stroke is a medical emergency. Recognizing the signs immediately and acting within minutes can mean the difference between recovery and permanent disability.
Ask the person to smile. Is one side drooping or numb? An uneven smile is a warning sign.
Ask them to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward? Sudden weakness signals danger.
Ask them to repeat a simple sentence. Is their speech slurred or impossible to understand?
If you observe any of these signs, call emergency services immediately. Note when symptoms began.
During a stroke, approximately 1.9 million neurons die every minute. Rapid response is the single most important factor in a patient's outcome.
ADSAF provides multilingual stroke recognition tools — including Amharic-language resources — so no community is left without this critical information.
Call emergency services now Access our education resources