Why would you like to be on the NCDA Board of Directors?

I have a long-standing interest in NCDs going back to more than two decades ago when epidemiologists and the WHO started to recognize the growing importance of NCDs on public health. Coming from the stroke field, I soon understood that collaboration and joining forces with other NCD NGOs were key to make any substantial impact.

My position as President of the World Stroke Organization (WSO) from 2008 to 2012 coincided with the global recognition of the emerging threat of the NCDs, the birth of the NCD Alliance, and the lead-up phase to the historic UN General Assembly in 2011. During my term, I formed many liaisons with other NCD NGOs, worked closely with the WHO, and established a broad network of contacts. I have continued in such functions also after my term as President. During recent years I have become increasingly involved with the NCD Alliance and I would like to deepen this involvement through a second term in a board position. I am passionate to work for the NCD case, and a position in the NCDA Board of Directors for one more period would be a privileged opportunity for me to serve in an organisation that plays a major role in influencing global health now and in the future.

What makes you a good candidate for the NCDA Board of Directors?

As the President of WSO from 2008 to 2012, I led the organisation through a very progressive phase. I have been a WSO representative at the WHO and the UN from 2011 to 2019, and I chaired the cerebrovascular group for the WHO ICD 11 revision. I was profiled in Lancet Neurology with the title “Bo Norrving – Putting Stroke on the World Map”. I am a highly accomplished scientist in the stroke field. I have been involved with the NCDA since 2011. As a board member during the 2021-23 term, I have been very active in the NCDA including the committees. I have participated in numerous NCDA events and has acted as chair and presenter. I attended the 2017 Sharjah Global NCD Forum. I have been involved in producing the NCDA/AHA – ASA/WSO Stroke and NCDs Policy Brief, and I have helped to organize and speak at NCD Cafés and Dialogues. I have a very long experience and strong skills in governance, public relations, and membership engagement, and extensive experience with all major aspects of the NCDs. I am hard-working, prestige free, and have good diplomatic skills. My network includes personal knowledge to many of the leaders in the fielda.

Biography

Bo is a Senior Professor in Neurology at Lund University, Sweden. He has made several pioneering contributions to clinical stroke research, with more than 600 publications. He led the world’s largest study on stroke in the young and chaired Riskstroke, the world’s 1st national quality register for stroke. He was President of the World Stroke Organization (WSO) 2008-2012 – a very progressive phase when WSO developed the World Stroke Campaign, advocacy by Stroke Support Organisations, educational programmes, and became active at WHO and UN stroke and NCDs activities. He has represented WSO at WHO and the UN in 2011-2019 and chaired the cerebrovascular group for the WHO ICD 11 revision. He has been active in the NCD Alliance since 2011, and I have served as board member 2021-2023. He has received the WSO Services to Stroke and WSO Leadership Awards, the ESO Presidential Award, the EAN Romberg Award, the AHA/ASA Sherman Award and several other recognitions. He is a member of the WHO Strategic Advisory Group on NCDs.