Phu Tho (VNA) – The General Hospital in the northern province of Phu Tho and the StGeorge’s Hospital of the United Kingdom on October 31 signed a memorandum ofunderstanding (MoU) on health service provision and stroke treatment.

Under theagreement, the St George’s Hospital will support the Phu Tho General Hospitalto operate a centre for stroke treatment of international standards. Doctorsand nurses of the Vietnamese hospital will be enabled to study and takeinternships at the London-based St George’s Hospital.

During their ongoingvisit, experts of the St George’s Hospital also provided medical check-ups forsome stroke patients at the Phu Tho General Hospital.

After the MoUsigning ceremony, the two hospitals jointly organised an international workshopon stroke, with the participation of leading experts of both Vietnam and theUK. At the event, participants shared experiences in prevention, treatment andrecovery for stroke patients.

Prof. AnthonyRudd of the St George’s Hospital said that stroke has been on the rise amongboth men and women in Vietnam, the UK and many other countries.

In Vietnam,there are about 230,000 new stroke cases reported per year, while up to 47,000people in the working age in the UK suffer from the disease annually, he noted.

Director of thePhu Tho General Hospital Dr. Nguyen Huy Ngoc said the centre for stroketreatment and teams specialising in stroke treatment were established at thehospital in a bid to help people access to new techniques and reduce time for treatment.-VNA