THE shortage of speech therapists is adversely affecting stroke patients who require the therapy to restore their speech, the Stroke Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) has said.
SAZ president Aggrey Ngazana said most speech therapists left Zimbabwe to work in neighbouring countries in search of better working conditions.
This had created a serious shortage of medical professionals to deal with the condition.
Ngazana said his association is lobbying the government to create conditions that can help retain the therapists.
“We have lost a great number of speech therapists who left the country looking for greener pastures and this has adversely affected stroke patients,” Ngazana told journalists at a press briefing to mark World Stroke Day in Gweru on Tuesday.
“Most people do not know that stroke as a non-communicable disease is at number two in taking the lives of people yet it is not given due prominence in addressing its effects,” he said.
Ngazana said one in every six people suffers from stroke adding that women were at greater risk than men.
The SAZ boss said out of 23 people suffering from stroke, three make it to the semi-recovery stage through rehabilitation.
“There is therefore great need for referral hospitals to have monitoring mechanisms for stroke patients,” said Ngazana.