Manipal Hospitals unveils ‘Be Stroke Smart’ campaign

Stroke-ready ambulances and training centers to make the city stroke-smart

Kolkata, October 29, 2024: Manipal Hospitals, one of the largest healthcare networks in India, marked a major step forward in a series of endeavors aimed at stroke awareness and better management of the condition by launching its ‘Be Stroke Smart’ campaign. The event marked the celebration of World Stroke Day, globally observed every year on 29th October, where leading neurologists and neurosurgeons at Manipal Hospitals’ units shared important insights on how early detection and management of stroke can result in improved patient outcomes.

The program was attended by eminent stroke specialists from Manipal Hospitals, including, Dr. Rabindra Narayan Bhattacharya, Consultant Neurosurgeon, Manipal Hospitals Dhakuria, Dr. L.N. Tripathy, Senior Vice Chairman, Director & Senior Consultant, Medica Institute of Neurological Diseases (MIND), (now a part of Manipal Hospitals), Dr. Apratim Chatterjee, Interventional Neurologist & Stroke Specialist, Manipal Hospitals Mukundapur, Dr. Nirmalya Ray, Consultant – Neuro Interventional Radiologist, Medica Superspecialty Hospital, (now a part of Manipal Hospitals). Dr. Dipendra Kumar Pradhan, Senior Consultant – Neurosurgery, Manipal Hospitals Mukundapur, and Dr. Ayanabh DebGupta, Regional COO, Manipal Hospitals (East). These experts pointed to the increasing number of strokes, a significant percentage of which occur in younger age groups, and a growing need for further public awareness on how to identify the onset of a stroke and seek immediate medical attention.

The ‘Be Stroke Smart’ campaign features community-oriented programs across Kolkata, especially in residential complexes and older adult groups, building the capacity of citizens on early stroke recognition skills and self-assess and recognize symptoms. It includes a citywide awareness drive, a network of informed first responders, and ‘stroke-ready’ resources supported by the advanced infrastructure in stroke care from Manipal Hospitals. All these hospitals are equipped with Neurosurgery ITUs, HDUs, and 24/7 neurology experts, augmented by a dedicated fleet of ambulances designed to respond rapidly to stroke patients, thus ensuring that these patients receive expert care right from the point of pickup.

Along with making the hospitals stroke-ready, the “Be Stroke Smart” campaign has started specific training programs for ambulance drivers to identify potential symptoms of stroke. In most cases, an ambulance driver is the first point of contact for patients; thus, skills are provided to the drivers to detect early signs of stroke and immediately ensure that the patient is rushed to the nearest stroke-ready hospital. Manipal Hospitals has already begun outreach programs across Kolkata to educate the community in proper practices of stroke awareness and empower them with lifesaving skills to make it a ‘Stroke Smart’ city. The emphasis is on creating awareness about the primary risk factors causing strokes, preventive measures, and basic steps to be taken in an emergency.

Dr. Ayanabh DebGupta, Regional COO, Manipal Hospitals (East), underlined the need for awareness in stroke prevention, “At Manipal Hospitals, our vision is to build a community, empowered with the knowledge and resources to prevent, recognize, and respond to strokes promptly. With the ‘Be Stroke Smart’ Kolkata campaign, we aim to create a stroke-ready ecosystem in Eastern India, where each citizen has the necessary awareness to detect early symptoms and seek medical intervention without delay. We are committed to equip Kolkata and the wider region with advanced infrastructure, expert care teams consisting of experienced neurologists, neurosurgeons, Neuro Radiologists, along with a network of specialized stroke-ready ambulances to ensure rapid, life-saving responses for every patient.”

Dr. R.N. Bhattacharya, Neurosurgeon, Manipal Hospitals Dhakuria, “Having a fully equipped stroke center is vital in ensuring the best possible outcome for stroke patients. Time is brain – every minute counts. With our dedicated stroke facilities and trained specialists, Manipal Hospitals is committed to providing comprehensive stroke care,

from the initial emergency response to long-term rehabilitation. The ‘Be Stroke Smart’ initiative will help spread this crucial message to a larger audience.”

Dr. L.N. Tripathy, Senior Vice Chairman, Director & Senior Consultant, Medica Institute of Neurological Diseases (MIND) (now a part of Manipal Hospitals), shared, “Stroke cases are rising among young people due to lifestyle factors, stress, and unnoticed warning signs. As per reports, we see that around 10-15% of all first-ever strokes occur in people aged 18–50 years. This initiative focuses on prevention rather than medication to diminish the number of stroke cases in our city. As such risks and prevention measures are explained to people , we hope to decrease the incidence of a stroke. Manipal Hospitals has also begun outreach programs across Kolkata to spread awareness, provide life-saving skills, and make Kolkata a ‘Stroke Smart’ city. The goal is to educate on main stroke risks, prevention, and basic emergency steps.”

Dr. Dipendra Kumar Pradhan, Neurosurgeon, Manipal Hospitals, Mukundapur, said, “Stroke awareness is the way for early intervention, and not all patients know how crucial the first hour is. It is a matter of hours before most people can be safely diagnosed and treated for stroke. The ‘Be Stroke Smart’ campaign is in line with our objective of making patients, as well as the general public, aware of recognizing the signs of a stroke in its earliest stages and acting swiftly to respond to it for life.”

Stroke is now one of the biggest killers in India, with death cases that have risen by 43% between 1990 and 2019. As strokes impact such a high percentage of the population, especially in the 25-50 age group, the Be Stroke Smart campaign is a critical initiative for public education and a push toward positive actions to prevent and manage strokes. This awareness program aims to pave the way for improvement in the entire landscape of stroke care in Kolkata and beyond for Manipal Hospitals.