PENANG, 8 Feb. 2014 - Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) extended its community networking to the international arena by sharing its expertise in stroke management and stroke rehabilitation with the communities in Pakistan.

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dato’ Dr. Omar Osman said that USM through the School of Health Sciences has identified a number of projects in Pakistan, including the building of the Balance and Stroke Rehabilitation Centre there.

He said that USM through the School of Health Sciences academics’ expertise has successfully developed a number of modules and training for stroke rehabilitation in the country, is now extending it to the rural community.

“USM is committed to make this programme work as it is deemed to raise awareness of how to manage stroke patients properly as well as their care-givers.

“Education to the family members, especially the key care-givers, is important so as to enable them to practice proper rehabilitation techniques and manage the patient at home,” he said.

He was speaking at a press conference after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS), Pakistan yesterday.

LUMHS that was established in 1850 (initially as a medical school) was represented by its Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dr. Norshad Ahmed Shaikh. Also present were Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International Affairs), Professor Dato’ Dr. Ahmad Shukri Mustapa Kamal and key officers of USM.

Through the MoU, both parties also agreed to set up telemedicine linkages for the purpose of undergraduate and post-graduate medical education in the form of lectures, consultations, and workshops, and also Continuing Medical Education or Continuing Professional Development (CME/CPD) programmes.

Omar added that to facilitate the understanding of stroke management guidelines, the Bal Ex Stroke project will also be translated into Urdu and Sindhi. - Translation: Yong Check Yoon/Text: Marziana Mohamed Alias​/Photo: Mohd. Fairus Md. Isa