Kathmandu, October 29
More than 50,000 people suffer strokes every year in Nepal, according to Dr Raju Poudel, outgoing president of the Nepal Stroke Association.
Poudel shared the figure in an interview on the occasion of World Stroke Day, which is being observed in Nepal today under the slogan “Every Minute Counts”. He said one person suffers a stroke every 10 minutes in the country.
“A stroke occurs when blood flow to part of the brain is blocked. The resulting lack of oxygen and nutrients can cause brain cells to die,” he said.
Established in 2017, the Nepal Stroke Association has been working to assess the prevalence of stroke in Nepal and promote measures for its treatment. The association has been collaborating with University Hospital Heidelberg in Germany to improve stroke treatment in line with international standards. It has also been working on stroke-related issues in collaboration with GIZ and the World Health Organization.
Poudel said one-third of people who suffer a stroke die from it and stressed the need for greater government attention to prevention. He added that one in four people worldwide would experience a stroke during their lifetime, while a stroke occurs somewhere in the world every three seconds.
Around 12 million people worldwide suffer strokes each year, according to the figures cited in the report. Poudel said the government should prioritise stroke prevention and treatment, particularly in least-developed and developing countries such as Nepal.
He said 15–20 per cent of stroke patients in Nepal die from the condition. High blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, physical inactivity and an unbalanced diet are among the risk factors for stroke.
