BY STEPHEN CHADENGA THE Midlands State University (MSU) has joined hands with the Partnership for Education Training and Research Advancement (PETRA) to launch a stroke unit at the Gweru Provincial Hospital. The project is being implemented by the MSU faculty of medicine. It was launched last week as part of PETRA’s pilot projects being rolled out at four other hospitals across the country. The project is expected to improve the quality of care given to stroke patients. “The PETRA project brings together stroke physicians, nurses, nutritionists, pharmacists, speech and occupational therapists, social workers and physiotherapists in a collaborative approach meant to reduce death and disability in stroke admissions,” MSU said in a statement. “The programme further intends to promote the early detection of stroke symptoms to allow for immediate mobilisation and rehabilitation of the affected.” The university said it would spread the project to all government hospitals in the country. The first stroke unit was launched in February 2019 at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals. PETRA collaborated with faculties of medicine at MSU, University of Zimbabwe, National University of Science and Technology and the Africa University department of health sciences, as well as two United States-based institutions, the universities of Colorado and Denver and Stanford respectively. It is supported by the National Institute of Health International Centres of the United States to pursue innovative initiatives in health professions education and research capacity development. Follow Stephen on Twitter @jagganox78

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