New Specialized Stroke Unit Built by PCs to Serve Patients Across Manitoba
PCs took action to build acute stroke unit after last NDP government twice refused to establish one in 17 years: Cook
WINNIPEG — Health Sciences Centre (HSC) Winnipeg is set to open the first stroke unit of its kind in Manitoba next week following extensive renovations and investments by the previous PC government at the former Women’s Pavilion, Kathleen Cook, PC Shadow Minister for Health, shared today.
In 2019, the previous PC government announced the project to build a 28-bed dedicated acute stroke unit at HSC to provide a full range of specialized therapies and improve outcomes for stroke patients across Manitoba, as well as improving availability of acute care beds for other patients. The unit is now ready to open to its first patients with an initial 12 beds this Monday, December 18.
The new unit will bring Manitoba in line with the rest of the country, where an acute stroke unit is considered a leading practice across Canada for maximizing recovery, said Cook.
“Manitoba was the only province in Canada without a dedicated stroke unit,” said Cook. “PCs took action to remedy that fact and enhance care for a condition that impacts so many Manitobans.”
While in government for nearly two decades, the NDP refused twice to support resolutions by then-PC health critic Myrna Driedger calling for the creation of a stroke unit at HSC. The lack of action by the NDP became particularly evident when findings showed Manitoba to rank lower than all but 5 of 34 OECD countries for stroke survival in 2014.
PCs encourage all Manitobans to learn the signs of a stroke: https://www.heartandstroke.ca/stroke/signs-of-stroke.
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