Volunteer doctors provided free counseling about stroke for local residents after the launching ceremony on October 29th.  [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

Stroke is the most common single cause of death in China, according to the China Stroke Declaration, which was released Saturday by China's Ministry of Health, to mark the annual World Stroke Day (October 29th). The ministry launched a national campaign on the same day to promote the awareness of preventing stroke.

Statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO) show that one in six people worldwide will suffer a stroke in their lifetime and every sixth second someone dies because of it. And China's incidence of stroke is four to five times of the number in developed countries.

During the launching ceremony held in Beijing's Renmin University, Wang Longde, Member of Chinese Academy of Engineering and President of Chinese Preventive Medicine Association, read the Declaration, which demands a wide social attention to the disease. The Declaration also proposes five basic measures to reduce the likelihood of having a stroke: knowing the risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes and dyslipidemia; engaging in physical activity regularly; avoiding obesity by keeping to a healthy diet; limiting alcohol consumption and quitting smoking; and knowing the stroke warning signs and what to do.

With the cooperation of over 180 hospitals across the country, the campaign plans to provide free screening, counseling and health lectures to high risk population of stroke.