Punjab to get new stroke centers under Maryam Nawaz’s initiative

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has ordered to spread a network of stroke centers across the province to provide timely treatment to the patients of paralysis.

A high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has approved the establishment of modern stroke management centers across Punjab. The session focused on timely diagnosis, rapid treatment, and the expansion of specialized stroke care to every district.

During the meeting, the chief minister approved the purchase of TPA and advanced TNK injections used for emergency stroke treatment. She directed officials to ensure the complete availability of these injections and to finish the training of medical staff by mid-February. It was also decided that doctors would receive regular training in administering both TPA and TNK for better patient outcomes.

Officials briefed the meeting that temporary stroke management services will begin at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology. Meanwhile, dedicated stroke centers will be set up in phases. In the first phase, thirty district hospitals will receive stroke centers. Fifteen more will be added in the second phase, followed by twenty-four in the third.

Maryam Nawaz stressed that every district will have a fully equipped stroke center, and later, the program will expand to tehsil-level hospitals. She said this step is essential so that patients do not have to travel to distant cities during a critical emergency. The chief minister also highlighted the need to educate the public about stroke symptoms and the importance of the four-hour golden window, noting that early treatment can prevent lifelong disability.