The Himalayan Stroke Summit, Kathmandu
The Nepal Himalayan Stroke International Conference 2025 was held in Kathmandu from August 16th to 17th. Several WSO Office bearers (Prof Jeyaraj D Pandian, President, Prof Craig Anderson, President Elect, Deidre de Silva, Secretary) and board of directors (Dr PN Sylaja, Dr Ivy Sebastian, Dr Maria Khan Junaidi), participated as invited faculty. The event was attended by more than 400 health care professionals from Nepal.
The event was graced by esteemed dignitaries including Honorable Health Minister of Nepal, Mr. Pradip Paudel, Health Secretary, Dr. Bikash Devkota, Health Minister of Bagmati Province, Dr. Kiran Thapa, Director of Planning, MOH, Dr. Krishna Paudel, Section Head, Planning, MOH, Dr. Phuspharaj Paudel, Executive Chief, NHRC, Dr. Pramod Joshi, Chief Research Section, NHRC, Dr. Meghnath Dhimal, Nepal Stroke Association’s Dr. Raju Paudel & Dr. Lekhjung Thapa, WHO Country Office, Dr. Dorgi Gampo, German Cooperation for International Cooperation, Ms. Vera Hollman, Nepal Stroke Project-Christine Tunkl.
The conference featured: Didactic lectures, Release of National Stroke Protocol, Hands-on workshops and Provincial presentations on stroke care. This milestone event marks a transformative step forward in improving stroke care across Nepal.
Strengthening primary care doctors in standard treatment workflow of stroke in India
I had the privilege of participating in the national-level webinar jointly organized by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), and the Government of India. The focus of the webinar was to disseminate the Standard Treatment Workflow for Neurological Disorders.
The event was attended by over 100 healthcare professionals from government hospitals across the country, particularly those working in Primary Health Centres (PHCs), District Hospitals, and under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD).
As part of the program, I delivered a talk on the early recognition, diagnosis, and management of stroke, emphasizing the importance of timely intervention and standardized care protocols to improve patient outcomes in neurological emergencies.
Stroke care in Somalia
WSO had participated in a discussion with the Deputy Ministry of Health-Somalia MoH, Dr. Mohamed Hassan, and Dr. Kouamivi Agboyibor, MD, PhDc, MPH, MSc from WHO.
The Meeting emphasized the importance of collaboration and partnerships between the Ministry of Health-Somalia MoH and World Stroke Organization and also the meeting focused on strengthening awareness, prevention, and care for those dealing with stroke in Somalia.
WSO President Recognized for Contributions to Stroke Care in India
Prof Jeyaraj D Pandian, WSO President has received the Independence Day Award from the State Government of Punjab for contributions to stroke care in Punjab, India, and globally. The award was presented by Cabinet Minister Aman Arora, in the esteemed presence of District Collector Shri Himanshu Jain (IAS) and Police Commissioner Mr. Swapan Sharma (IPS).
On receiving the award, Prof Pandian reflected that this recognition is not just personal—it reflects the collective efforts of the global stroke community and reinforces the shared mission at the World Stroke Organization: to improve stroke care and outcomes worldwide.