In a first, WHO centre for stroke opens in Ludhiana
Nitin Jain
Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, August 5
In a first, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has designated Christian Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) in Ludhiana as the WHO Collaborating Centre (WHO CC) for stroke.
The advanced stroke centre of the CMC has become the first in the world to be recognised as a WHO CC, Dr Jeyaraj D Pandian, principal and professor of Neurology, who heads the centre, told The Tribune.
Dr Pandian, who is also the president elect of World Stroke Organisation (WSO), said it was a long-standing collaboration with the WHO Southeast Asian Region (WHO SEAR) and WHO Headquarters, Geneva, which started in 2015, that led to the collaboration aimed at enhancing stroke care globally.
Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh formally inaugurated the centre recently. Headed by Dr Pandian, the WHO team of doctors at the CMCH comprises Dorcas Gandhi, Ivy Sebastian, Ranjit Injety, Christy, Nistara Chawla, Pranay Pawar and Rineta Mascarenhas.
The major collaborative efforts started in 2020 when the WHO SEAR requested the hospital to prepare a manual titled, ‘Integrating stroke services in healthcare systems: A practical approach’ for stroke care services at all levels of healthcare.
The CMCH has also prepared a plan to develop stroke care services in Bhutan, Maldives, Myanmar and Timor-Leste. “The collaborative journey began from Bhutan, where hospitals previously lacked a standardised stroke care system, leading to significant delays in the identification and treatment of stroke cases,” Dr Pandian said.
In response to the growing burden of stroke and uncoordinated system, the WHO SEAR project launched its first phase in August 2020. The initiative empowered over 70 participants across medical, surgical, and rehabilitation disciplines to revolutionise stroke care.
Beyond infrastructure, the initiatives raised awareness about stroke and emphasised the importance of evidence-based care among healthcare professionals, policymakers, and the public, collectively enhancing the quality of stroke care in Bhutan.
“In 2023, we were invited by Queen Mother Ashi Sangay Choden Wangchuk to visit their hospitals, medical university and health minister. During the visit, a roadmap for further development of stroke care was laid out for Bhutan,” he said. In Maldives, over 20 participants were given specialised training in every facet of stroke care.
Dr Pandian said although plans were made to establish an online stroke registry in Maldives, political tensions delayed it. There are currently two stroke units in Maldives. In Myanmar, a comprehensive stroke appraisal aimed at reducing the country’s stroke burden identified critical areas for improvement.
In Nepal, a hub and spoke model of care is being established with two hubs and four spoke hospitals near Kathmandu. Based on the appraisal submitted by the CMCH team, Sri Lanka released a national stroke guideline recently.
