New Delhi: On the occasion of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMR) Day, leading neurologists and rehabilitation specialists have called for the urgent integration of PMR into India’s standard stroke care protocols. With stroke now ranked as the second leading cause of death and the third leading cause of disability in the country, experts emphasise that rehabilitation within the first 90 days post-stroke is critical for ensuring functional recovery—not just survival.
“Stroke is a race against time—not just during the attack, but also during the recovery phase after discharge,” said Dr. (Prof.) Man Mohan Mehndiratta, Principal Director and Senior Consultant, Neurology, BLK-Max Centre for Neurosciences.
“While emergency response has improved through ACT FAST awareness, India still lacks a structured approach to post-stroke rehabilitation. Without targeted recovery efforts, many patients survive, but lose their independence, speech, or memory.”
Experts warn that stroke is increasingly affecting younger individuals, particularly in urban centers like Delhi, due to a rise in hypertension, chronic stress, sedentary lifestyles, and poor dietary habits. According to the India Hypertension Control Initiative (ICMR-WHO, 2023), nearly 1 in 4 Indian adults is hypertensive, yet only 12% have their condition under control.
Physicians are advocating for widespread adoption of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMR) — a specialised medical discipline that addresses recovery from stroke, spinal cord injury, head trauma, and more. PMR combines robotic-assisted therapy, speech and occupational therapy, cognitive retraining, and psychological support, led by trained rehabilitation physicians.
“Rehabilitation is not just physiotherapy. It’s a clinical, evidence-based process guided by medical specialists,” said Dr. Amit Tomar, Lead Consultant – PMR at HCAH (HealthCare atHOME).
“The brain’s plasticity peaks within the first three months after a stroke. Every day of delay diminishes the chances of full recovery.”
HCAH, India’s largest post-acute neuro-rehabilitation provider, operates seven PMR centers across Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Kolkata. These centers combine specialist-led care with cutting-edge technologies, including robotic gait therapy and gamified recovery tools.
“We’ve created India’s fastest recovery model,” said Dr. Gaurav Thukral, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer, HCAH.
“Our structured PMR-led approach delivers outcomes that are not just quicker, but also more consistent than conventional home care or physiotherapy models.”
A recent HCAH survey revealed that only 40% of people could identify stroke symptoms prior to hospitalisation. However, 92% of patients who received structured inpatient PMR care regained core functional abilities within three months. In contrast, 70% of those under unstructured home care took over four months to recover basic functions like speech or walking.
Patient stories highlight the impact of timely rehabilitation. A 69-year-old Delhi woman, left minimally conscious after a major stroke, regained mobility and speech after three months of intensive PMR care. Similarly, a 19-year-old student with locked-in syndrome began communicating and showing facial movement after undergoing HCAH’s neuro-rehabilitation program.
As stroke cases continue to rise, experts have made an urgent appeal to national and state health authorities:
• Integrate PMR into all stroke treatment protocols
• Expand insurance coverage for inpatient rehabilitation
• Train more PMR specialists and multidisciplinary rehab teams
• Establish dedicated neuro-rehabilitation centres in both public and private sectors
“Rehabilitation is not optional—it is essential,” reiterated Dr. Mehndiratta.
“Survival should not be the end goal. We must ensure recovery with dignity becomes the new standard for stroke care in India.”
