The Kerala Health Department announced on Wednesday that cases of stroke have been increasing in the state. Health Minister KK Shailaja said that more young people, those who are under the age of 40, also suffering strokes, stating that there are many people who have hypertension and heart-related ailments.
Wrong eating habits, lack of exercises, bad habits like smoking and stress have been considered as reasons for this situation, she said. The minister was delivering a message for World Stroke Day, which is marked on October 29. The World Health Organisation and the World Stroke Federation has been observing Stroke Day with the slogan, “Join the movement, being active can reduce one's risk.”
The minister said that even while sitting, one should keep stretching and moving your limbs, and staying active will help reduce chances of stroke.
A haemorrhage or thrombosis in the veins leading to the brain results in a stroke. The information from the Kerala health department said that timely treatment is most important for stroke. Some of the symptoms of stroke include numbness or weakness in face or one side of the body, trouble while speaking, loss of balance, etc. The health department has said that treatment given within four hours after the beginning of symptoms will be effective.
Minister KK Shailaja also announced the government program ‘Stroke Identification Rehabilitation Awareness and Stabilization (SIRAS). Under this program, special stroke inpatient section, out-patient section, stroke Intensive care unit and stroke rehabilitation section will be started in government hospitals soon. The Minister also said that in medical colleges, super speciality stroke cath-labs will be established soon. She said that all medical college hospitals will also expand their stroke units and will have extensive facilities. As part of SIRAS, the department also plans to introduce a teleradiology facility so that CT scans will be available on a 24-hour basis.
The Minister also inaugurated a stroke unit in Kottayam district hospital on account of World Stroke Day. Stroke treatment has been available there since 2018 the intensive care unit has been established in October 2020.