World Brain Health Day: Stroke management and head injury care to be provided on a ‘hub-and- spoke’ model in Karnataka

By Admin

22 Jul, 2025

Theme 2025: Brain Health for All Ages
Every year on July 22, the world observes World Brain Day, and this year’s theme, ‘Brain Health for All Ages’, emphasizes the importance of maintaining neurological well-being throughout life. In line with this global focus, Karnataka has taken a monumental step toward strengthening emergency neurological care with the rollout of a ‘hub-and-spoke’ model for stroke and head injury management.

Revolutionizing Stroke and Head Injury Management
Developed by NIMHANS in coordination with the State Government, this new model aims to decentralize critical neurological care by establishing advanced spoke centres in six government medical colleges across Karnataka. These centres will be closely guided by NIMHANS, the apex hub, ensuring timely and quality care is delivered, especially during the golden hour – the crucial four to six hours post-onset of stroke symptoms.

Why Golden Hour Matters
A stroke occurs when blood supply to a part of the brain is interrupted, either by a blockage or a bleed. This deprives brain cells of oxygen, leading to cell death, possible paralysis, and even death. Immediate medical intervention within the golden hour can restore blood flow, reduce damage, and improve the chances of full recovery.

Mirroring STEMI Model for Cardiac Care
Similar to Karnataka’s existing ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) model for heart attacks, the hub-and-spoke strategy for stroke and head injuries is designed to reduce travel time, enable early intervention, and avoid overburdening NIMHANS. Presently, the institute handles 6–12 stroke cases and 15–16 head injury cases daily.

Apex Centre at NIMHANS and Spoke Centres Across Karnataka
According to Dr. Girish B. Kulkarni, Professor of Neurology and Head of the Stroke Unit at NIMHANS, this model will streamline stroke care, ensuring access to treatment at regional centres. While the NIMHANS hub has been functional for three months, the spoke centre at KMCRI Hubballi is already tracing and managing stroke cases. With State Government funding, KMCRI will soon be equipped with a Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) machine – a vital tool to visualize and treat brain blood vessel abnormalities.

Spoke centres are also planned at:

• Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute
  
  

• Mysuru Medical College
  
  

• Raichur Government Medical College
  
  

• Ballari Government Medical College
  These six centres will be established at a total cost of ₹56 crore, as confirmed by Dr. Girish.
  
  

KaBHI – Strengthening Neurological Care at the Grassroots
The Karnataka Brain Health Initiative (KaBHI), a joint effort between the State and NIMHANS, has already enhanced early detection of neurological conditions at primary health levels. By training district and taluk-level doctors and nurses to identify and treat conditions like stroke, epilepsy, and headaches, the initiative ensures brain health care is no longer limited to urban centres.

A Future of Inclusive Brain Health
With the implementation of this model, Karnataka aims to make comprehensive stroke and head injury care more accessible, especially to those in rural and semi-urban areas. On this World Brain Day, as the spotlight shines on “Brain Health for All Ages,” Karnataka is setting an example for proactive, inclusive, and life-saving neurological care.