Network of medical clinics to improve treatment for stroke patients

The Health Ministry has said it is aiming to link a new network of existing medical centres focussing on patients suffering from stroke. To apply, centres will have to meet certain criteria, making them eligible for additional funding from insurance companies as well as funds from the European Union. The plan is to improve the overall quality of care and to provide patients suffering acute effects the best treatment as quickly as possible. Yearly, 55,000 Czechs suffer stroke, three times higher than in original EU countries. The number of stroke-related deaths, meanwhile, is double.