Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Monday chaired a meeting and decided to establish stroke centres in every division to ensure timely treatment of stroke patients across the province. The meeting was informed that 40 primary stroke centres had become fully functional in Punjab, while a target had been set to make 17 more centres operational by December. The Chief Minister's Stroke Programme has saved the lives of 336 patients who were also protected from permanent disability through timely arrival at designated stroke centres following a stroke.
The briefing revealed that trained doctors and medical staff were available at all 40 primary stroke centres to provide immediate treatment to patients. As many as 710 TNK injections were available at these centres for the treatment of stroke patients. It was informed that neuroangiography suites would be established this year at Teaching Hospital Rawalpindi, Allied Hospital Faisalabad, Nishtar-II Multan and Teaching Hospital Sargodha.
Comprehensive stroke centres had already become functional at the Punjab Institute of Neurosciences, Lahore, and the Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology. In Lahore, primary stroke centres have been established at Services Hospital, Mayo Hospital, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Jinnah Hospital, General Hospital, Children's Hospital and Shahdara Teaching Hospital. Stroke treatment injections are available at Nishtar Hospital Multan, Allama Iqbal Hospital Sialkot, Sheikh Zayed Hospital Rahim Yar Khan, Holy Family Hospital Rawalpindi, Allied Hospital Faisalabad, Bahawal Victoria Hospital and Allama Iqbal Hospital Dera Ghazi Khan.
The meeting was informed that primary stroke centres had functionalized at district headquarters hospitals in Sheikhupura, Mandi Bahauddin, Kasur, Khanewal, Vehari and Multan. Stroke treatment injections are available at DHQ hospitals in Bhakkar, Layyah, Gujranwala, Narowal, Jhang, Jhelum, Toba Tek Singh, Sahiwal and Gujrat. Stroke centres have also been established at Children's Hospitals in Multan and Faisalabad, Sadiq Abbasi Hospital Bahawalpur, Nishtar-II Multan, Teaching Hospital Sargodha and Allied Hospital-II Faisalabad. The expansion of the stroke care network aims to ensure timely diagnosis and treatment, improve access to specialised healthcare and prevent deaths and long-term disability among stroke patients across Punjab.