A series of political jousting has shone a light on one of regional Australia's biggest killers, and while the awareness is "very welcome" the local Stroke Support Group wants to see "words put into action."
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On Monday, a joint commitment from both the commonwealth and state governments was announced to invest $21.7 million into a nationwide Centralised Stroke Telehealth Service that the Stroke Foundation said would revolutionise emergency stroke care for regional Australians.
The federal government will be chipping in $9.6 million according to health minister Brad Hunt, with the state government picking up the remainder.
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On Tuesday, Federal Labor came out with an announcement of their own, pledging $11.7 million to establish a National Telestroke Network, if it was to win government.
Local support group president Nancy Hall said she doesn't mind "who wins the elections, as long as something comes of the announcements."
"That is the main thing, we want to see action," Mrs Hall said.
When a stroke strikes, it attacks up to 1.9 million brain cells a minute. Time saved is brain saved.
- Stroke Foundation CEO Sharon McGowan
"It is great to see the focus on spending and seeing the awareness being raised - everyone needs to know that it can happen to them, at any age."
An Australian suffers a stroke every nine minutes, with regional Australians 19 per cent more likely to suffer a stroke, and be left with significant disabilities.
Under a telehealth network neurologists would provide around the clock support to regional clinicians, while specialists would be available to review patients' brain scans remotely, and provide timely diagnosis, treatment, and rapid transfer.
Stroke Foundation CEO Sharon McGowan said time is the most critical element when treating stroke, and that a telehealth network could help prevent "one of this country's biggest killers and a leading cause of disability."
"Time saved in treating stroke is brain saved,'' Ms McGowan said.
"When a stroke strikes, it attacks up to 1.9 million brain cells a minute. Treatments can stop the damage, but they require specialist diagnosis and must be given quickly.
"The establishment of a National Telestroke Network is a vital step towards changing the state of stroke in this country."
