Centre to expand network of stroke units, says Union Health Secretary

New Delhi: Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava announced on Wednesday that the Union government plans to expand the stroke network to improve access to specialized care.

Around 500 stroke units are operational across the country and the Centre is committed to expanding this network to ensure wider access to specialised care, Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava said on Wednesday.

According to the PTI report, Srivastava said while addressing the National Stroke Summit 2025, "Recognising the critical importance of prevention, we have prioritised primary prevention strategies within our national health programs."

"Ayushman Bharat, our flagship universal health coverage scheme, not only provides financial protection for stroke care but also plays a pivotal role in addressing risk factors. Our Ayushman Arogya Mandir are at the forefront of health promotion, focusing on early identification and management of risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, unhealthy diets, and physical inactivity," she said.

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These centres are integral to the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases, Srivastava stated.

A study recently published in the International Journal of Stroke had said that ischaemic stroke is the most common, accounting for about 70-80 per cent of all strokes in India.

An ischaemic stroke is caused when a blood clot affects supply to the brain.

Researchers, including those from the US' Ascension Health and All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Hyderabad, found that a total of 566 stroke centres equipped with the 'intravenous thrombolysis' method of treatment (which breaks up blood clots) were spread across 26 states and union territories, the study had said, reports PTI.

Of the 566, over 60 per cent (361) were found to be also equipped with endovascular therapy for stroke patients, considered superior.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the Union Health Ministry in collaboration with the Government of Telangana, successfully hosted a two-day National Workshop on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) on January 8-9, 2025.

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