World Stroke Day Experts call for free treatment, awareness

MINGORA: A welfare organisation in Swat observed World Stroke Day by organizing a seminar aimed at raising public awareness about the growing threat of stroke - a disease described by health professionals as a “silent killer” that claims thousands of lives every year in the country.

Medical experts, social activists and civil society members highlighted the alarming rise in stroke cases and urged the government, welfare organisations and philanthropists to join hands in providing free treatment and rehabilitation facilities for deserving patients.

Addressing the participants, the health specialists said that the incidence of stroke in Pakistan has increased from 1 percent to 1.2 percent over the past decade. They identified high blood pressure, diabetes, unhealthy diet, and lack of physical activity as major contributing factors.

“If a patient reaches a hospital within six hours of a stroke, medical intervention can reopen blocked vessels and prevent permanent disability,” one neurologist explained, adding, “In some cases, even children as young as three years old have experienced stroke, though the majority of cases are found in people over 50 who suffer from diabetes, hypertension, or high cholesterol.”

The experts emphasised the importance of preventive care, advising citizens to take prescribed medicines regularly, maintain a balanced diet, exercise daily, and spend time in sunlight to strengthen overall health.