On World Stroke Day, Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh on Tuesday announced a groundbreaking collaboration between the Government of Punjab, Christian Medical College (CMC) Ludhiana, and India Medtronic Private Limited. This pioneering public-private partnership aimed at addressing the rising incidence of strokes in the State by providing free tertiary care treatment worth Rs six lakh, thereby creating a streamlined stroke care pathway for timely and effective medical intervention.
Dr Balbir Singh underscored the government’s commitment to enhancing healthcare infrastructure, ensuring that the people of Punjab have access to the highest quality medical care. “The collaboration between the Government of Punjab, CMC Ludhiana, and Medtronic represents a significant milestone in healthcare innovation. With a clear focus on improving access to critical care, this initiative is poised to reduce stroke-related deaths and disabilities, setting a new standard for stroke management in India,” he stated.
At the heart of this initiative is a “Hub and Spoke” model for stroke care, designed to improve patient outcomes through rapid and coordinated treatment. CMC Ludhiana, India’s first advanced stroke center certified by the World Stroke Organization and NABH, will serve as the central “Hub” for advanced stroke treatment. A network of government hospitals and medical colleges across Punjab will function as “Spoke” centers, responsible for providing immediate care to stabilize stroke patients before referring them to the Hub for advanced interventions, including mechanical thrombectomy.
The Minister emphasized the growing concern regarding stroke prevalence in Punjab, calling for an innovative approach to tackle this pressing issue. “Stroke has become a significant health challenge in our state. This partnership is a critical step in transforming stroke care. It will save many families from falling into poverty due to out-of-pocket expenses for stroke treatment, as the entire cost of approximately Rs six lakh will be borne by the government for the general public,” he explained.
Dr Jeyaraj D Pandian, Principal and Professor of Neurology at CMC Ludhiana and World Stroke Organization’s president, elaborated on recent advancements in stroke treatment. He highlighted that advanced clinical trials, including DAWN and DEFUSE-III, have extended the treatment window for mechanical thrombectomy to 24 hours after the onset of symptoms in ischemic stroke cases. “This expanded treatment window will allow us to effectively treat more stroke patients, significantly reducing disability and improving their quality of life,” Dr Pandian added.
Mandeep Singh Kumar, Medtronic India’s vice president and managing director, praised the initiative as a testament to the potential of public-private collaboration in addressing critical healthcare challenges. “By integrating advanced medical technology with CMC Ludhiana’s expertise and the government’s healthcare infrastructure, we are confident this model will lead to substantial improvements in stroke care across Punjab,” Kumar remarked.
