Stroke remains one of the leading causes of death and disability in India, yet it is both preventable and treatable when recognised early. With Dr Vikram Huded elected as the President of the Indian Stroke Association (ISA), the aims will be to shift towards strengthening awareness, improving timely access to treatment, and building a more coordinated stroke care system across the country.
Dr Huded, a leading interventional neurologist and Director and Clinical Lead for the Interventional Neurology Programme at Narayana Health, also serves as Head of Neurology and Senior Consultant in Interventional Neurology.
With extensive experience in advanced stroke care and neuro-interventions, he has played a key role in strengthening neuroscience services across India.
Sharing his vision after taking on this new role, Dr Vikram Huded, President, Indian Stroke Association (ISA), said, “Despite remarkable scientific advances, the challenge before us in India remains substantial. According to recent data from ICMR studies, intravenous thrombolysis is delivered in less than 5% of stroke patients, and mechanical thrombectomy in less than 1%. In contrast, nearby developed countries such as Singapore have treatment rates approaching 30%. These numbers remind us that science already exists; our responsibility now is to ensure that this science reaches every patient who needs it. With this perspective, the focus during my tenure will be on awareness, education, collaboration, and action to strengthen stroke care across India. One of the central initiatives during this year will be ‘Save the Brain' as the message is simple- Stroke is preventable. Stroke is treatable. Through this national initiative, we aim to improve awareness among the general public as well as physicians who may not yet fully recognise the urgency of stroke care. Public education, physician engagement, and collaborative efforts across healthcare systems will be key components of this initiative. By spreading the message that ‘Time is Brain,’ we hope to ensure that more patients reach hospitals in time to receive life-saving treatments.”
The coming year also marks the centenary of cerebral angiography, first performed in 1927 by the visionary neurologist Egas Moniz. This landmark discovery transformed our understanding of the cerebral circulation and laid the foundation for modern neurovascular imaging and intervention.
To commemorate this historic milestone in neuroscience, the Indian Stroke Association plans to organise 100 Continuing Medical Education (CME) programmes across India.
