ICMR Hands Over Mobile Stroke Units to Assam, Cutting Treatment Time Dramatically

The Mobile Stroke Units mark a paradigm shift—from patients racing against time to reach hospitals, to hospitals reaching patients at their doorstep.

In a major breakthrough for emergency healthcare in India, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has handed over two Mobile Stroke Units (MSUs) to the Government of Assam, transforming how stroke care reaches patients in remote and difficult terrains.

Stroke remains one of the leading causes of death and long-term disability in India, with nearly 1.9 billion brain cells lost every minute when treatment is delayed. While timely intervention within the golden hour can save lives and prevent lifelong disability, reaching a stroke-ready hospital in time has long been the biggest barrier—especially in rural and hilly regions.

From Hospital to Patient: A Shift in Stroke Care

The Mobile Stroke Units mark a paradigm shift—from patients racing against time to reach hospitals, to hospitals reaching patients at their doorstep. Developed under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and guided by Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, the initiative reflects the government’s focus on delivering advanced healthcare to the poorest and most vulnerable, including women, even in the most challenging geographies.

Handing over the units, Dr Rajiv Bahl, Secretary, Department of Health Research and Director General, ICMR, highlighted India’s global leadership in this space.“Mobile Stroke Units were first developed in Germany and evaluated in major global cities. India has successfully evaluated them in rural and remote Northeast India, and is the second country globally to integrate MSUs with emergency medical services for rural acute ischemic stroke care,” he said.

A Mobile Hospital on Wheels

Each MSU functions as a fully equipped hospital on wheels, featuring:

• A CT scanner for rapid brain imaging

• Teleconsultation with stroke specialists

• Point-of-care laboratory services

• Clot-busting drugs for immediate treatment

This allows early diagnosis and treatment at or near the patient’s home, a game-changer in regions where hospital travel can take several hours.

Assam’s Experience: Lives Saved, Disability Reduced

According to P. Ashok Babu, Secretary & Commissioner, Health and Family Welfare, Government of Assam, the handover strengthens the state’s emergency response system and ensures continuity of this life-saving service under state ownership. He noted improved coordination, faster treatment, and better patient outcomes, laying the groundwork for future expansion.

The Northeast carries a disproportionately high stroke burden, compounded by difficult terrain and limited access to specialists. To address this, ICMR established:

• A neurologist-led stroke unit at Assam Medical College & Hospital, Dibrugarh

• Physician-led stroke units at Tezpur Medical College Hospital and Baptist Christian Hospital

The MSUs were integrated into this pre-hospital stroke care pathway—with remarkable results.

Transformational Impact

The outcomes underline the power of the model:

• Treatment time reduced from nearly 24 hours to about 2 hours

• Deaths reduced by one-third

• Disability reduced eightfold

Between 2021 and August 2024, the MSUs handled over 2,300 emergency calls, screened 294 suspected stroke cases, and treated 90% of patients 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, attended the handover, signalling strong institutional backing for scaling this innovation.

As India grapples with a growing burden of noncommunicable diseases, the Assam MSU model demonstrates how technology-enabled, pre-hospital care can save lives—and may well become a blueprint for stroke care across the country.