Words from the President, October 2025

13 Nov 2025

17th World Stroke Congress | Barcelona 2025

October 22–24 | CCIB, Barcelona, Spain

The global stroke community united at hashtag#WSC2025 with over 2700 delegates from 100+ countries, driving forward innovation, equity, and collaboration in stroke care.

Key Highlights:

I led impactful sessions with WHO, WHL, and WFN on hypertension control, salt substitution, and stroke prevention.

Shared progress from the Indian Stroke Clinical Trial Network (INSTRuCT) and the WHO Collaborating Center for Stroke at CMC Ludhiana.

Special announcement

WSO welcomed 5 times Olympian Bernard Lagat as its Sports Ambassador, launching the hashtag#GreaterThanStroke Run to raise awareness and support stroke initiatives in Africa.

Scientific Highlights:

TRIDENT Trial: Triple low-dose antihypertensive pill reduces recurrent stroke risk.

CATALYST-TNK: Tenecteplase shown non-inferior to alteplase.

OCEANIC-STROKE, IDEAL, and STABLED trials showcased AI and novel therapies in stroke care.

78th WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia: Colombo

The 78th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia (SEARO) convened in Colombo, Sri Lanka from 13th to 15th October 2025, bringing together health leaders, ministers, WHO representatives, and stakeholders from across the region to chart the course for public health priorities in the coming years.

Inauguration and High-Level Participation

The session was inaugurated by WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, alongside Dr. Catharina Boehme, Officer-in-Charge of WHO SEARO, and the Honorable Minister of Health of Sri Lanka, Nalinda Jayatissa. The event saw participation from Ministers of Health from member states, WHO country representatives, UN agencies, NGOs, embassies, high commissions, and non-state actors, reflecting a strong commitment to regional collaboration. The session focused on several pressing health issues: Healthy Ageing, Tobacco Control, Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and Emergency Preparedness.

Stroke Care Advocacy and SEAHEARTS Session

As a representative of the World Stroke Organization (WSO), I had the privilege to engage with health officials from Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, India, and Bangladesh, discussing the ongoing stroke care improvement initiatives in the SEARO region. During the SEAHEARTS session, I submitted a formal statement on behalf of WSO, advocating for enhanced stroke care across South-East Asia.

The launch of the Stroke Care Improvement Program by WHO SEARO, in collaboration with the WHO Collaborating Centre for Stroke Care, marks a pivotal moment in addressing the growing burden of stroke. This initiative spans six countries and focuses on three strategic priorities:

Capacity Building for Healthcare Workers

Comprehensive training across all levels of the health system to improve stroke recognition, acute management, and rehabilitation.

Sustainable Models of Care Delivery

Adoption of scalable models such as hub-and-spoke systems and physician-led care to ensure timely access in remote and resource-limited settings.

Surveillance Systems

Establishment of stroke registries and strengthening of regional surveillance to generate reliable data for evidence-based policy and programmatic action.

WSO reaffirmed its commitment to supporting governments in scaling evidence-based, cost-effective stroke care innovations. With strategic collaboration, we can close the outcome gap and reduce preventable deaths in the region.

The time to act on stroke is now.

WHO Southeast Asia Regional Workshop

“From Strategy to Actions: Prioritizing NCD Prevention and Control”

Jaipur, India | October 28–30, 2025

It was an honor to participate in this pivotal regional workshop focused on translating strategic commitments into actionable steps for noncommunicable disease (NCD) prevention and control across Southeast Asia.

Representing the WHO Collaborating Centre for Stroke at Christian Medical College Ludhiana, our team — Dr Ivy Sebastian and Dr Rinita Mascarenhas — actively contributed to discussions and shared insights from our ongoing work to improve stroke care in the region.

I had the privilege of speaking in a panel discussion on the integration of statins at the primary care level — a vital step in preventing cardiovascular diseases and stroke. We also showcased the impactful activities of our WHO CC, including capacity building, community engagement, and development of stroke care protocols tailored to LMICs.

Workshop Highlights:

Focus on SEAHEARTS 2030 milestones for hypertension and diabetes control.

Strategies for salt reduction, trans-fat elimination, and tobacco control.

Roadmaps for cancer prevention and management.

Emphasis on digital dashboards and routine health information systems for monitoring progress. [who.int]

Grateful to Dr Alarcos Cieza, WHO HQ, Unit Head NCD; Dr Nalika Gunawardana, Regional adviser for NCD, WHO SEARO, Dr Pradeep Joshi Technical Officer, NCD, WHO SEARO and all collaborators for fostering such a dynamic and solution-oriented platform.

Milestone for Stroke Care in Tunisia!

As President of the World Stroke Organization (WSO), I was honored to conduct the first WSO stroke center certification site visits in Tunisia — a significant step forward in advancing global stroke care.

Advanced Stroke Center Visit:

Mongi Ben Hmida National Institute of Neurology, Tunis

Essential Stroke Center Visit:

Military General Hospital, Tunis

I was deeply impressed by the infrastructure, dedication, and excellence in stroke care at both institutions. My sincere gratitude to:

Prof. Nadia Hammami, Head of Neurointervention

Prof. Samia Ben Sassi, Head of Neurology

Dr. Dina, Assistant Professor of Neurology

Dr. Jamel, Head of Neurology, Military Hospital

for their warm welcome and meticulous arrangements.

It was a pleasure to be joined by Prof. Riadh Gouider, Vice President of the World Federation of Neurology, during these visits.

I also had the privilege of delivering a lecture on WSO strategies to reduce the global burden of stroke at the Tunisia Interventional Radiology Conference, attended by over 200 delegates — a testament to the growing commitment to stroke care in the region.

Together, we are building a future where stroke prevention, treatment, and recovery are accessible to all.

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