Punjab Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh Launches Stroke Care Model in Partnership with CMC Ludhiana and Medtronic

Chandigarh, 30 October 2024: On World Stroke Day, Punjab Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh announced a transformative collaboration between the Government of Punjab, Christian Medical College (CMC) Ludhiana, and India Medtronic Private Limited. This first-of-its-kind public-private partnership in India aims to combat the rising burden of stroke in Punjab by creating a streamlined stroke care pathway for timely and effective treatment.

Dr Balbir Singh emphasized that this partnership underscores the CM Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government’s commitment to strengthening healthcare infrastructure and ensuring that the people of Punjab have access to the highest quality of medical care. “The collaboration between the Government of Punjab, CMC Ludhiana, and Medtronic marks a significant milestone in healthcare innovation. With a clear focus on improving access to critical care, this initiative aims to reduce stroke-related deaths and disabilities, setting a new standard for stroke management in India.” he added.

Dr Balbir Singh informed that the partnership introduces a Hub and Spoke model for stroke care, designed to improve patient outcomes by providing rapid, coordinated care. CMC Ludhiana, a leading Medical Institution and 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 the State will act as “Spoke” centers, responsible for providing immediate care and stabilizing Stroke patients before referring them to the hub for advanced interventions like Mechanical Thrombectomy.

Speaking on the launch, Dr. Balbir Singh emphasized the importance of addressing the increasing incidence of stroke in the state. He said, “Stroke has become a growing concern in Punjab, and we needed an innovative approach to tackle this. This partnership is a critical step in transforming stroke care in the state. This initiative will save many families from financial burden due to out-of-pocket expenses on stroke treatment as the treatment and care cost will be of free of charge served through the Stroke Care Model at hub and spoke centers.”

Dr. Jeyaraj D. Pandian, Principal and Professor of Neurology at CMC Ludhiana and President of the World Stroke Organization, highlighted that financial support for advanced treatments would be available through CMC Ludhiana. “Many stroke patients, especially those from economically weaker backgrounds, are unable to afford treatments like thrombectomies. With this initiative we will be able to provide these life-saving procedures free of cost to those in need,” said Dr. Pandian.

Mandeep Singh Kumar, Managing Director and Vice President of Medtronic India, lauded the initiative, stating, “We are extremely proud of this pioneering partnership to transform stroke care in Punjab. By integrating advanced procedures such as the Mechanical Thrombectomy with the holistic care model set up by CMC Ludhiana and Govt of Punjab, we are confident of significantly reducing the impact of strokes on patients and improving their quality of life. This initiative exemplifies the power of the PPP model in addressing critical healthcare challenges by deploying innovative solutions and is a testament of our commitment to enhance market access and promote better patient outcomes.”

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