Bengaluru: Observing World Stroke Day on October 29, Sakra World Hospital, one of the leading healthcare providers in Bengaluru and India’s first FDI hospital, organised a walkathon to raise awareness on stroke and a free stroke check-up camp for its employees and the public on October 29 and 30, 2021. Sakra World Hospital is also geared up to flag-off its Comprehensive Stroke Clinic on October 30 at 8:30 AM that would offer complete stroke care services with an aim to effectively diagnose, treat, manage and prevent stroke and other stroke-related severities in the presence of Dr. Pratima Murthy, Director of National Institute Of Mental Health And Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru.
The walkathon that began at the wee hours of the morning at 7:00 AM from Sakra World Hospital towards Kadubeesanahalli Bridge and back to the hospital had 150 participating employees followed by a screening of the employees and others for stroke risk factors like cardiac problems, hypertension, diabetes, and lipid disorders at the free stroke check-up camp in the hospital.
Elaborating on the need to raise awareness about stroke, Dr. Shiva Kumar. R, Senior Consultant Neurologist & Epileptologist said, “We organised the walkathon to raise awareness about the need to identify symptoms of stroke, act quickly and arrange medical intervention without any delay. This would help people act faster and save their loved ones from death or a possible disability. On the other hand, at the stroke camp, our focus was on personal habits which increase the risk of stroke, like smoking, alcohol, and drug abuse. We had a calculator to assess the risk of stroke in an individual for risk stratification. The camp also covered stroke screening health packages like Carotid Doppler, MRI Brain with Angiogram, CT Angiogram, Specific blood tests for identifying the mechanism of stroke and the root cause. On prior appointments, we offered free neurology consultations and discount on stroke screening packages at the two-days-long camp.”
Both the walkathon and the free check-up camp were conducted by strictly adhering to the Covid-19 protocols like prior appointments, compulsory wearing of masks and appropriate seating arrangements, and distance maintenance.
Stroke, as we all know, is a very common problem and can be treated and cured efficiently in the early stages. In the case of stroke, time plays a crucial role as the first 4.5 hours following an ischemic stroke is the golden period for administering ‘clot buster’ medication which is life-saving. Beyond the first 4.5 hours, treating options become limited, and mechanical clot removal (thrombectomy) can be tried for up to 24 hours in selected cases. Stroke can affect anyone across all age groups and can be almost completely recovered with effective medications and rehabilitation.
Keeping the importance of timely intervention in case of treating stroke, Sakra’s Stroke Clinic comes with a wide range of stroke care services including:
• Adult and pediatric Stroke OPD
• Stroke Screening – Primary prevention and secondary prevention
• Lifestyle modifications and diet counselling for stroke risk reduction
• Intervention Neurology – Angiogram, Thrombectomy, Endarterectomy
• Stroke rehabilitation
Mr. Yuichi Nagano, Managing Director, Sakra World Hospital, said, “While stroke could lead to severe consequences on the brain, it is both curable and preventable. Knowing the importance of time and the signs of the stroke, it could be kept at bay. The Stroke Clinic at Sakra World Hospital comes with high-end technology and aims at providing seamless and timely intervention to those with stroke and prevent further adverse impact on one’s brain and body.”
