A five-day multilingual digital initiative promoting stroke recognition, prevention and timely medical intervention through expert-led messaging and youth engagement to raise public awareness
OdishaPlus Bureau
Nearly 12 million people experience brain strokes worldwide every year, while around 7.3 million die from the condition, nearly 94 million live with its effects, according to the World Stroke Organization (WSO) Global Stroke Fact Sheet 2025. The figures also project that one in four adults aged 25 and above will experience a stroke during their lifetime.
Against this backdrop, early recognition of stroke symptoms and timely medical intervention can save lives and reduce the risk of long-term disability. With this vital message at its core, IFI Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation committed to advancing sustainable social impact, is launching the fourth edition of its flagship digital health outreach campaign, “Spot Stroke, Save Lives,” from October 29 to November 2, 2026, to mark World Stroke Day. The campaign aims to make stroke awareness more accessible, particularly among young people, empowering them to identify symptoms early, seek immediate medical attention and help save lives.
The five-day digital campaign will bring vital stroke-related information closer to communities through creative awareness messages and short videos featuring health professionals. Covering stroke warning signs, risk factors, preventive measures and the importance of seeking immediate medical attention, the campaign will equip people with the knowledge to recognise a stroke and respond without delay. The content will be shared in Odia, Hindi and Bengali, making life-saving information more accessible to diverse communities and extending its reach across linguistic boundaries.
The campaign is guided by eminent neurologists Dr Maya Gantayet, Dr Sanghamitra Pati and Dr Subhransu Sekhar Jena, who serve as advisors, bringing their medical expertise and guidance to help ensure the campaign communicates essential health information accurately and encourages informed, timely action.
Brain Stroke is often associated with older adults, but now young people are not immune to its effects. Understanding the warning signs, adopting healthier lifestyle choices and knowing how to respond when symptoms appear are equally important for youths as well. By equipping themselves with this knowledge, young people can protect their own health while helping raise awareness among their families, peers and wider communities.
“People need to recognise the warning signs, understand the risk factors and act immediately when stroke symptoms appear. Through this campaign, we aim to make this information accessible and encourage timely action that can save lives and improve health outcomes,” said Sidharth Rath, Executive Director, IFI Foundation.
This year’s World Stroke Day theme, “Every Minute Counts,” reinforces the importance of recognising symptoms and acting quickly through the #ActFAST message. High blood pressure, elevated LDL cholesterol, smoking, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity and high blood glucose are among the modifiable risk factors associated with stroke, underscoring the value of awareness and prevention.
As a member of the World Stroke Organization (WSO), IFI Foundation has sustained its commitment to stroke awareness through three successive editions of the campaign in 2023, 2024 and 2025. Its efforts received international recognition in 2025, when the Foundation’s World Stroke Day campaign earned a “Highly Commended” distinction in the Low- and Middle-Income Country category.
The awareness drive will extend into November with a Media Workshop and a Youth Awareness Program, strengthening engagement beyond the digital campaign. OdishaLIVE and Swasthya Plus Network are the outreach partners, while aml Communications is the official communication partner of the campaign.