STROKE CASES

Column: 391

STROKE CASES

18.

Dr Lily Neo asked the Acting Minister for Health (a) what is (i) the incidence of stroke cases over the last five years (1999 - 2003), (ii) the number of cases that ended with disability, (iii) the number that had brain scanning done within two hours; and (b) what are the steps taken by his Ministry to reduce the incidence of disability in stroke patients.

Mr Khaw Boon Wan: We handled about 7,500 cases of hospitalisation due to stroke every year. About 30% of these cases ended up with some degree of residual disability.

Our public hospitals have the capacity to do emergency CT scans for stroke 24 hours a day. More than 95% of all stroke cases admitted to these hospitals would get a brain scan within 24 hours of admission. Priority is given to patients with clinical conditions that warrant performance of an urgent CT scan. In 2003, 90% of stroke cases presenting at SGH and TTSH Emergency Department, had a scan done within the first two hours of the CT scan being ordered. This amounts to around 1,500 CT scans at SGH and 3,000 at TTSH.

My Ministry has put in place a national stroke prevention and control plan to reduce stroke related premature death and disability. This plan comprises primary prevention through adoption of healthy lifestyles, early detection and management of risk factors, and integrated care.

The Health Promotion Board and clusters run health education programmes to educate the public about the risk factors, and signs and symptoms of stroke. Persons with conditions that predispose to stroke like hypertension and diabetes are identified early through community screening programmes. Those who are found to have these medical conditions are referred to the polyclinics or their family physicians for treatment.

All public hospitals have stroke units and/or multidisciplinary stroke teams to provide integrated and holistic care to patients with acute stroke.