11/07/2026
Strengthening Stroke Care at RAHS: A Week of Teaching, Leadership, Systems Building, and Community Impact
Rapti Academy of Health Sciences (RAHS) was privileged to host Dr. Amit Kandel, MD, MBA, FAHA, Visiting Faculty at RAHS, vascular neurologist, Associate Professor of Neurology at the University at Buffalo, incoming Dorrance Chair of Vascular Neurology and Professor of Neurology at Barrow Neurological Institute, incoming Director of the NeuroVascular Division and Petznick Stroke Center, and Senior Advisor for Global Systems of Care at Barrow Global, for an intensive week dedicated to advancing stroke care across education, clinical practice, health systems, and community engagement.
The visit was made possible through the visionary leadership of Acting Chief of Academy Dr. Suresh Rasaily and the academic coordination of Ex-Dean Prof. Dr. Ramesh Kandel, whose joint efforts brought together international expertise and institutional priorities to strengthen stroke care, neuroscience education, and health systems development at RAHS.Their collaboration laid the foundation for a program that connected policymakers, clinicians, educators, students, and community health workers under a shared vision of improving stroke outcomes in Nepal.
Throughout his visit, Dr. Kandel inspired directors, faculty, medical and nursing students, residents, frontline healthcare workers, policymakers, and Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHVs) through a comprehensive series of academic and capacity-building activities, including:
• Leadership session on Stroke Care in Nepal: Challenges, Strategies, and Lessons in Policy, Advocacy, and Resource Development.
• Medical education lecture From Synapse to Stroke System: Stroke Foundations for the Developing Clinician.
• Nursing education session Behind Every Stroke Survivor, a Nurse Who Made the Difference: Stroke Nursing and Therapy.
• Community awareness programs promoting the BE FAST campaign and the message BE FAST, Refer Fast for timely stroke recognition and referral.
• Continuing Medical Education (CME) on Engineering Stroke Systems of Care: Speed, Equity, and Outcomes Across Regions and Countries.
• Stroke center workflow design discussions and a comprehensive review of the RAHS neuroscience curriculum, integrating localization-based, symptom-based, and competency-based teaching and assessment.
• Regional advocacy through engagement with the Lumbini Provincial Ministry of Health to promote stroke center development.
• Hands-on neurological examination training for medicine residents, fellows, house officers, interns, and nursing professionals.
Beyond these individual sessions, Dr. Kandel's visit has strengthened stroke literacy throughout our institution and surrounding communities. From empowering FCHVs to recognize stroke symptoms early, to fostering a shared understanding of modern stroke systems among clinicians and educators, this collaboration has reinforced RAHS's vision of developing a comprehensive stroke system capable of serving the people of Lumbini Province while establishing Ghorahi as a leading center for neuroscience education, research, and clinical excellence.
RAHS extends its heartfelt appreciation to Dr. Amit Kandel for his generosity in sharing his expertise, mentorship, and vision. We also acknowledge the leadership of Acting Chief of Academy Dr. Suresh Rasaily and the academic stewardship of Ex-Dean Prof. Dr. Ramesh Kandel for facilitating this impactful collaboration, which reflects RAHS's commitment to fostering global academic partnerships for the benefit of our students, healthcare professionals, and the communities we serve.
We look forward to building on this momentum as we continue our journey toward establishing sustainable, locally led, and equitable stroke care across Lumbini Province.
