The Philippines “has a long way to go” as the country needs around 360 hospitals to be stroke-ready to cover the population.

Boehringer Ingelheim is behind the initiative to make more of the country’s hospitals capable of treating stroke patients.

A German pharmaceutical giant plans to establish around 360 stroke-ready hospitals in the country in a bid to improve stroke treatment in the country.

At a press conference in Pasay City, Boehringer Ingelheim-backed Angels Initiative revealed there are only about 11 stroke-ready hospitals in the country while 42 hospitals are in active consultation with the initiative.

Boehringer Ingelheim Global Project lead of the Angels Initiative Thomas Fischer told reporters that the Philippines “has a long way to go” as the country needs around 360 hospitals to be stroke-ready to cover the population.

Before a hospital is considered stroke-ready, it should reach a standardization of processes, to ensure that stroke treatment is given within 60 minutes of the patient arriving at the hospital.

A stroke-ready hospital must have a CT scan, the capability to administer thrombolysis, and neurologist.

Angels Initiative provides hospitals with the resources and support they need as well as the needed training for doctors and staff so that it can be stroke-ready. It was launched by Boehringer Ingelheim in partnership with the European Stroke Organization (ESO) and the World Stroke Organization (WSO) to improve care for people who suffered a stroke across Europe and in emerging markets.

It is also in collaboration with the Stroke Society of the Philippines and Philippine Neurological Association to implement their programs in improving stroke treatment in the country.

“There are currently 98 Philippine hospitals registered in the Angels Initiative website. This is a huge jump from 32 registrants in 2018,” Fischer said.

“In 2018, 265 more Filipinos were treated for stroke, which accounts for 11 more Filipino patients having a second chance at life,” Fischer added, emphasizing the importance of proper stroke treatment. The initiative began in 2017 with 18 target hospitals in consultation and only one stroke consultant.

In the same briefing, the Stroke Society of the Philippines (SSP) made an appeal to the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.’s (PhilHealth) to provide higher coverage for stroke treatment.

“The stroke prevalence in our country is about 1.2 percent to 1.4 percent. So, what does it mean? For every hundred people in the community, you will see that one or two of them had a stroke,” SSP Prof. Dr. Jose Navarro told reporters.

However, he said the amount contributed by the country’s insurance system for stroke treatment ranges from P28,000 to P38,000 only.