The State Health System Resource Centre-Kerala (SHSRC-K) hosted a two-day workshop on December 10th and 11th, to develop an action plan for the research project “Upscaling of Primary Stroke Care Units in Kerala to Certified Stroke Care Centres.” This implementation research funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), aims to upgrade Primary Stroke Units in Kerala under the SIRAS programme to meet World Stroke Organization (WSO) certification standards.

During Phase 1 of the study, the SHSRC-K research team investigated stroke centres in selected hospitals across various districts and the findings were presented. The workshop provided an opportunity for detailed analysis and discussions with neurologists, physiatrists, physiotherapists, staff nurses, hospital administrators, superintendents, RMOs from the hospitals involved, and SHSRC-K project members.

The workshop resource person, Dr. Shylaja P.N, Professor and Head of Neurology at Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences & Technology, shared valuable insights on WSO certification and stroke unit efficiency, further enriching the discussions. Dr. V. Jithesh (Executive Director, SHSRC-K) and Dr. Jathavedus Mohanlal (Assistant Director, SHSRC-K) presented key findings on the gaps identified in the situation analysis and gave an overview of the stroke project. The two-day workshop culminated in group discussions and team presentations, which focused on strategies to overcome institutional barriers and achieve WSO certification.