EDITORIAL: The Punjab government’s decision to allocate Rs1.2 billion for a comprehensive stroke care programme is a timely and commendable intervention, addressing one of the province’s most pressing yet under-recognised public health challenges. Stroke has quietly emerged as a leading cause of death and long-term disability, imposing a heavy social and economic burden on families as well as the healthcare system. The statistics cited in a recent press report are alarming and demand urgent action.
With an incidence ranging from 153 to 250 cases per 100,000 people and nearly 250,000 new cases reported annually in the province, stroke can no longer be treated as a marginal health concern. The fact that more than 47,000 stroke patients were admitted to public hospitals in 2025, while only 12,000 to 15,000 received proper treatment, starkly exposes the gap between need and capacity. This shortfall is compounded by limited public awareness, delayed hospital arrival, and the high cost of specialised care, placing effective treatment beyond the reach of many. The programme’s emphasis on the ‘golden hours’ of stroke treatment reflects sound medical practice. Stroke is a race against time, and interventions such as clot-busting drugs and thrombectomy can significantly improve outcomes if administered within a few hours of symptom onset. Clinical improvements, however, must be matched by sustained public awareness campaigns so that symptoms are recognised early and patients seek immediate medical attention.
Expanding the number of primary stroke centres from 15 to 54 hospitals is a significant step towards ensuring that life-saving care is not limited to a handful of urban facilities. Equally important is the decision to utilise existing cardiology infrastructure while gradually building neurological capacity, allowing for faster implementation and more efficient use of resources. Enabling 30 tertiary hospitals with CT scan facilities to provide clot-busting treatment in the first phase, followed by 24 district hospitals, represents a realistic and phased expansion plan. The introduction of tele-neurology support is particularly noteworthy, as it can help bridge the shortage of specialists and extend expert guidance to remote and underserved areas.
Overall, Punjab government’s new stroke care programme is a creditable public health initiative that reflects a growing recognition of non-communicable diseases as a policy priority. If implemented efficiently and expanded over time, it has the potential to transform stroke care in Punjab and serve as a model for other provinces to follow.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026