Earlier this month, the following message was circulated on WhatsApp:

It claimed that only three hospitals — Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH), Singapore General Hospital (SGH), and National University Hospital (NUH) — provide a "crucial" clot-busting injection for stroke patients.

The message also urged readers to avoid other hospitals such as Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Sengkang Hospital, and Changi General Hospital and private hospitals as they do not have such an injection to treat stroke patients.

Alarmist as these WhatsApp messages are wont to be, they can be quite hard to dismiss.

After all, it is "verified by a senior NUH Doctor as TRUE". ?

So is it true? We checked with the Ministry of Health.

But first, a note about strokes

Strokes occur because of a clot in the brain (ischaemic stroke) or bleeding in the brain (haemorrhagic stroke) — depending on what type it is, treatments vary.

According to the Ministry of Health, there are two possible treatments for ischaemic stroke patients:

1. a clot-busting injection (known as an intravenous thrombolysis) such as the one mentioned in the WhatsApp message, and
2. an endovascular clot retrieval, a more specialised procedure applicable to a selected group of patients.

A MOH spokesperson told Mothership that currently, only four public hospitals are designated to provide intravenous thrombolysis for ischaemic stroke.

These four are

• Tan Tock Seng Hospital,
• Singapore General Hospital,
• Changi General Hospital, and
• National University Hospital.

The endovascular clot retrieval is only provided at three public hospitals —

• Tan Tock Seng Hospital,
• Singapore General Hospital, and
• National University Hospital.

So in conclusion: this WhatsApp message is true, as it turns out — at least partially.

So should you send a person showing signs of stroke straight to these hospitals?

MOH says no, you should still call 995.

If someone you know or you observe is showing symptoms of stroke, the best course of action is still to call an SCDF ambulance.

"SCDF paramedics are trained to assess the patient’s condition and convey the patient to designated hospitals for further assessment and treatment. Furthermore, SCDF paramedics will alert the receiving hospitals en-route so that the hospital team is ready to assess and treat the patient promptly."

If a stroke patient happens to be sent to a non-designated hospital via private ambulance or other forms of transport, the ministry said they will be transferred to one of the three, or four, hospitals for further assessment and treatment.

Now you know.

Top image from CGH.