New Delhi: In an effort to ensure timely treatment for stroke patients, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Thursday handed over two Mobile Stroke Units (MSUs) to the Government of Assam.
In an official statement, the Centre said stroke is among the leading causes of death and long-term disability in India, stressing that “every minute matters”, as nearly 1.9 billion brain cells are lost every minute when treatment is delayed. It noted that treatment within the golden hour can significantly reduce deaths and lifelong disability, but reaching a stroke-ready hospital in time remains the biggest challenge.
“Addressing this critical gap, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) handed over two Mobile Stroke Units (MSU) to the Government of Assam, marking a major shift from stroke patients from remote areas trying to get to hospitals to a hospital reaching patients,” the statement said.
The initiative, developed under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the guidance of Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, reflects the government’s commitment to taking advanced healthcare to the poorest, most marginalised and vulnerable populations, including women, even in difficult terrains, the statement added.
Handing over the MSUs, Dr Rajiv Bahl, Secretary, Department of Health Research and Director General, ICMR, said, “Mobile Stroke Units were first developed in Germany and later evaluated in major global cities. India has evaluated such units in a rural, remote, and difficult terrain in Northeast India. We are also the second country globally to report successful integration of an MSU with emergency medical services for treating rural acute ischemic stroke patients.”
Sharing the state’s experience, P. Ashok Babu, Secretary and Commissioner, Health and Family Welfare, Government of Assam, said, “The handover strengthens Assam’s emergency response system and ensures continuity of this life-saving service under state ownership.” He added that collaboration with ICMR has enabled faster treatment, better coordination and improved outcomes for stroke patients, while providing a strong foundation for future expansion.
The MSU functions as a hospital on wheels, equipped with a CT scanner, point-of-care laboratory, teleconsultation with specialists and clot-busting drugs, allowing early diagnosis and treatment at or near a patient’s home. This is especially crucial in remote and hilly regions, where reaching hospitals can take several hours.
ICMR noted that the Northeast has a disproportionately high burden of stroke due to difficult terrain, long distances and limited access to specialised care. To address this, neurologist-led and physician-led stroke units were established at Assam Medical College and Hospital, Dibrugarh; Tezpur Medical College Hospital; and Baptist Christian Hospital, Tezpur, with MSUs integrated into the pre-hospital stroke care pathway.
According to the data shared, the model reduced treatment time from nearly 24 hours to about two hours, cut deaths by one-third and reduced disability by eight times. Between 2021 and August 2024, the MSU received over 2,300 emergency calls, with trained nurses screening 294 suspected stroke cases and around 90 per cent of patients treated directly from their homes. Integration with the 108 emergency ambulance service expanded coverage to a 100-km radius.
Senior officials from the Centre and states, along with ICMR leadership, were present at the event.