Urgent Action Needed to Combat Stroke Cases in India: Health Secretary Calls for Collaborative Efforts
Ms Puniya Salila Srivastava, Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, has emphasized the urgent need for nationwide measures to curb stroke cases. Speaking at the ‘National Stroke Summit’ organized by FICCI in collaboration with the Indian Medical Parliamentarians Forum (IMPF) and the World Stroke Organization (WSO), Ms. Srivastava highlighted the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which now account for 66% of deaths in India.
“Stroke prevention is critical as India faces the dual challenge of communicable and non-communicable diseases. While significant progress has been made in controlling communicable diseases, conditions like diabetes and hypertension, which often lead to strokes, are largely preventable,” she said.
Ms. Srivastava underscored the government’s commitment to combating the rising incidence of strokes through comprehensive strategies. She noted that the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has established stroke care pathways, specialized units, and mobile stroke units. "With nearly 500 stroke care units already operational, we aim to expand this network under a hub-and-spoke model to ensure equitable access to specialized treatments and rehabilitation services nationwide by the next financial year," she added.
State and Parliamentary Insights
Punjab Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh declared stroke a national health crisis, highlighting its status as the fourth leading cause of death and the fifth leading cause of disability in India. “In Punjab, stroke incidence is approximately 40,000 cases annually. To address this, we’ve adopted a comprehensive Stroke Care Pathway, integrating district hospitals and medical colleges under a hub-and-spoke model. This ensures no patient is left untreated and provides scalable care from first contact to definitive treatment,” he said.
Dr. Anil Sukhdevrao Bonde, Member of Parliament and Chairperson of the Indian Medical Parliamentarians Forum (IMPF), reiterated the government’s vision of “Health for All by 2047.” He acknowledged the importance of forums like the National Stroke Summit in uniting researchers, clinicians, and policymakers to drive effective solutions.
Global and Industry Perspectives
Dr. Jeyaraj Pandian, President of the World Stroke Organization and Dean at Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, stressed the urgency of time-sensitive stroke treatments like thrombectomy and dedicated stroke units. “The National Stroke Action Plan includes establishing stroke units in district hospitals, scaling up prevention programs under the National NCD Program, training physicians, and enhancing rehabilitation facilities. These measures aim to reduce stroke incidence and disability by 2030,” he said.
Mr. Mandeep Singh Kumar, Vice President and Managing Director of Medtronic India, called for a unified effort to tackle systemic challenges in stroke care. He highlighted the importance of the PRAAN stroke registry and innovative care models as key steps toward enhancing patient outcomes.
Focus on Innovation and Collaboration
Dr. Harsh Mahajan, Chair of the FICCI Health Services Committee, emphasized the summit’s role in fostering collaboration. “The National Stroke Summit 2025 is a vital platform for raising awareness and finding innovative solutions to reduce the impact of stroke. Shared knowledge, innovation, and partnerships are essential to building an accessible and effective healthcare system for all,” he said.
The summit also witnessed the release of the Stroke Action Plan and findings from PRAAN, India’s first multicentric prospective registry on Mechanical Thrombectomy.
A Call to Action
The event brought together policymakers, healthcare professionals, researchers, and industry stakeholders to discuss strategies for combating stroke, one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. As India takes strides toward its vision of "Health for All," collaborative initiatives like the National Stroke Summit are critical in addressing the challenges posed by strokes and ensuring better health outcomes for the nation.