The report said stroke-related deaths are projected to escalate from 6.6 million in 2020 to a staggering 9.7 million by 2050. It also reveals that India reports the highest incidence and prevalence of stroke cases, with 1.29 million new cases and 9.65 million existing cases, followed by Indonesia and Bangladesh.

The research paper advised implementing prevention strategies and enhancing the stroke care system across the region to mitigate morbidity, mortality, and long-term disability.

The report cited 12 evidence-based recommendations aimed at addressing various aspects of stroke, including surveillance, prevention, acute care, and rehabilitation. These recommendations advocate for the establishment of cost-effective surveillance systems to gather precise epidemiological stroke data, public awareness campaigns promoting healthier lifestyles, and the prioritization of acute stroke care services. They also call for training, the provision of necessary equipment, affordable medicines, and sufficient allocation of resources.

Rajiv Bahl, director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said, “ICMR is actively engaged in crafting country-specific ambulatory care models at the primary care level to combat non-communicable diseases. The government is committed towards formulating evidence-based policies and their implementation through the National Programme for Prevention & Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD).”

Stroke continues to be one of the leading healthcare concerns globally. In 2019, it was the second leading cause of mortality and the third leading cause of mortality and morbidity combined.

Yogeshwar Kalkonde, the lead author of the paper–Stroke Surveillance in Southeast Asia, stated that India’s national stroke registry program and Thailand’s national database can serve as valuable sources for epidemiological data on stroke.

Prashant Mathur, Director of the National Centre for Disease Informatics and Research (NCDIR), ICMR, emphasized the importance of National Hospital-based stroke registries and population-based stroke registries conducted by ICMR across India.

Like other LMICs, the Southeast Asian region accounted for more than 40% of the global stroke mortality, and disability. In addition to an aging population, the increased prevalence of risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, tobacco and alcohol consumption, lack of physical activity, high ambient pollution, and heat and humidity contribute to the high stroke burden in this region.

“There is a compelling need for high-quality hospital-level and population-level data, with comprehensive representation from rural regions. There is a compelling need for high-quality hospital-level and population-level data, with comprehensive representation from rural regions,” stated the study.

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Updated: 10 Oct 2023, 01:39 PM IST