Saving woman is saving a family: Indian Stroke Association (ISA) president Dr Vijaya

GUNTUR: Indian Stroke Association (ISA) president Dr P Vijaya has asserted that early diagnosis will save millions of lives from stroke induced deaths. She said that focus on precision medicine, early detection, and collaborative strategies would help reduce the global burden of stroke. Dr Vijaya recently attended the prestigious Asia Pacific Stroke Conference 2025 (APSC), held at Hyogo Medical University, Kobe, Japan and presided over two key sessions. The conference was organised with the theme “advanced Stroke Care: Global and Local Challenges,” APSC is recognized as one of the world’s largest scientific platforms on stroke prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation. It brought together eminent experts from more than 20 countries, including Japan, New Zealand, China, Australia, Korea, Singapore, Switzerland, the USA, Ireland, and Sri Lanka. Speaking to the media here on Thursday, Dr Vijaya said that women particularly in India are required to take self-care about their health. She said that a large section of women ignore health issues leading to bigger trouble. “Our studies proved that women are more prone to turn victims of stroke. Saving a woman’s life is saving a family,” said Dr Vijaya. Dr Vijaya showcased ISA’s flagship initiatives such as “Brain Stroke – Time to Act” awareness campaign to promote public education, specialized physician and paramedical training modules on early diagnosis, emergency management, and better patient outcomes at the global conference. “These combined efforts are strengthening stroke care in India and positioning it as a shared global priority,” Dr. Vijaya emphasized.Dr Vijaya explained the impact of vasculitis and immune-related strokes on young adults and children. “The conditions are complex, often underdiagnosed, and can severely affect recovery if missed. By integrating immune-related insights into stroke management, we can reduce disability and improve patient outcomes,” Dr Vijaya said. She also drew attention to the gender-specific risks of stroke in women, stressing that women face a higher burden and worse outcomes. “One in five women suffers a brain stroke, and stroke kills twice as many women as breast cancer,” she noted. Factors such as PCOS, infertility treatments, pregnancy complications, endometriosis, and menopause significantly elevate stroke risk in women, she explained.Dr. Vijaya’s participation reinforced ISA’s leadership role in shaping policies, raising awareness, and strengthening professional training in stroke care. Her address underlined India’s growing contribution to international collaboration in tackling one of the world’s leading causes of disability and death.