The Stroke Action Plan and findings from PRAAN, India’s first multicentric prospective registry on Mechanical Thrombectomy, was released

The National Stroke Summit was recently organised by FICCI, jointly with the Indian Medical Parliamentarians Forum (IMPF) and World Stroke Organization (WSO).

Puniya Salila Srivastava, Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, said, “Stroke prevention remains a critical priority as India addresses the dual challenge of communicable and non-communicable diseases. While significant strides have been made in controlling communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) now account for 74 per cent of global mortality and 66 per cent of deaths in India. Stroke, often caused by conditions like diabetes and hypertension, is largely preventable.”

Dr Balbir Singh, Health Minister, Punjab highlighted that stroke is no longer a silent burden—it is a national health crisis. “It is now the fourth leading cause of death and the fifth leading cause of disability in India. In Punjab alone, stroke incidence is estimated at approximately 40,000 cases annually, a number that underscores the urgency of robust and effective interventions. We have recently adopted a comprehensive Stroke Care Pathway, integrating district hospitals and medical colleges under a hub-and-spoke model in the state. This framework ensures no stroke patient is left untreated and provides scalable, integrated care from first contact to definitive treatment,” he added.

Dr Anil Sukhdevrao Bonde, Member of Parliament, Chairperson, Indian Medical Parliamentarians Forum (IMPF) said, "While 2 per cent of India’s GDP is dedicated towards healthcare needs of our country, more investments will be made in future ensuring the vision is achieved. Forums such as The National Stroke Summit and Indian Medical Parliamentarians Forum play a key role in bridging the gap between research workers, clinicians and policymakers.”

Dr Jeyaraj Pandian, President, World Stroke Organization & Professor and Head of Neurology, Principal & Dean, Christian Medical College (CMC), Ludhiana said, “Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability in the world. Procedures like thrombectomy and managing stroke patients in dedicated stroke units improve patients' recovery. However, the treatment is time-sensitive. The National Stroke Action Plan aims to create stroke units in district hospitals, stroke units in 50 per cent of private and government medical colleges, train physicians, establish rehabilitation facilities in hospitals, and scale up prevention programmes under the National Non-Communicable Diseases programme. These measures will reduce the stroke incidence and disability by 2030.”

Mandeep Singh Kumar, VP and MD, Medtronic India said, “Stroke care in India requires a unified effort to address systemic challenges and deliver equitable quality care to patients nationwide. The collective initiative for generating clinical evidence via the PRAAN stroke registry and establishing innovative models of care through value-added partnerships will go a long way in championing scalable solutions to enhance patient outcomes.”

Dr Harsh Mahajan, Chair- FICCI Health Services Committee and Founder and Managing Director, Mahajan Imaging & Labs said, “The National Stroke Summit 2025 is a crucial initiative aimed at raising awareness and finding solutions to reduce the impact of stroke. Together, through shared knowledge, innovation, and partnerships, we can build a more accessible and effective healthcare system for all.”

During the event, the Stroke Action Plan and findings from PRAAN, India’s first multicentric prospective registry on Mechanical Thrombectomy, were released.

The summit brought together leading healthcare professionals, policymakers, researchers, and industry stakeholders to discuss innovative approaches and strategies for combating stroke, which remains one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide.