Stroke patients in Sabah increased 43% in 5 years

TAWAU: The number of stroke patients in Sabah increased 43% in the last five years, according to state resources development and information technology assistant minister Datuk Hamisa Samat.

She said in 2010, there were 1,393 cases recorded in the state and it rose to 1,991 cases last year.

At the global level, 13 million new cases are recorded each year, with 87 million people suffering from the disease worldwide.

"Studies showed new cases were recorded every 45 seconds while death from stroke was recorded every three minutes in the world," said Hamisa, who is also Tanjong Batu state assemblywoman.

She was speaking at the Sabah-level 2015 World Stroke Awareness Day at Tawau Library here today.
She said stroke is the third largest cause of death in most countries and on average, it attacks one in six people in Malaysia.

"Hospital research also found many stroke patients tend to seek treatment from 'shamans' instead of medical clinics."

Commenting on the programme, Hamisa said it was not only to build ties between patients and hospitals, but also to improve awareness and commitment to health care.

"Programmes such as this, is the best platform to educate people as stroke attacks not only old people but it could be experienced by the younger generation as well.

"As such, we should identify and take preventive measures against it," she said. — Bernama