Teleclinics for stroke victims and stroke rehabilitation centres have started functioning in select districts in the State.
Stroke clinics began functioning at the general hospitals in Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam and the district hospitals in Kannur, Mananthavady, and Palakkad on Monday. Five more clinics would start functioning soon at the district hospitals in Kollam, Kasaragod and Tirur, and general hospitals in Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha, Health Minister V.S. Sivakumar said here.
He was inaugurating the stroke clinics and stroke rehabilitation centre at General Hospital here on Monday.
Ten stroke rehabilitation clinics have also been launched alongside the physiotherapy units in district and general hospitals where stroke patients will receive training in overcoming and managing the functional disabilities due to stroke.
The 24-hour teleclinics will function with the assistance of the teleneurology unit at the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences in Kochi. The CT diagnostic images of suspected stroke victims can be send via the telemedicine link to the neurology unit at AIMS for expert opinion and advice on the further course of treatment.
The teleclinics are likely to bring down the significant burden of morbidity and mortality due to stroke. Steps are on to make available similar service from the Neurology Departments in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode Medical Colleges utilising the telemedicine link.
About 70 physicians have already undergone special training on stroke care at the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology.
Mr. Sivakumar also inaugurated the new block of the Public Health Training School at the general hospital and the computerised radiography imaging system in the hospital.
