One in six people suffers stroke in Bangladesh, said doctors at an event marking World Stroke Day today.

The event, organised in line with this year's theme "#GreaterThanStroke", was held at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University's Milton Hall.

Various doctors and organisations dedicated to raising awareness on stroke prevention, treatment, and impacts attended the event.

They also said there are 1.8 million stroke patients in the country

There are only 212 neurosurgeons around the country, while 1,600 are needed to cater to the current demand, they said.

Only three state-run hospitals -- Dhaka Medical College Hospital, BSMMU, and Neuroscience Hospital -- alongside five private hospitals in the capital offer stroke treatment facilities.

Meanwhile, plans to establish stroke centres in all eight divisions are yet to be implemented.

The higher number of strokes are due to lack of awareness, diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking and tobacco use, and unhealthy lifestyles, said Nuruzzaman Khan, member secretary of Bangladesh Society of Neurosurgeons, adding that strokes are a leading cause of disability and the second-highest cause of death worldwide despite being preventable.

"Stroke is a brain condition, not a heart disease. It occurs due to sudden reduced blood flow to the brain or bleeding in the brain," he stressed.

Speaking at the programme, Prof Abul Kalam Azad, vice-chancellor (administration) of BSMMU, said, "Drug abuse is a leading cause of strokes among young people. Those who are putting drugs into the hands of youth must be subject to the strictest penalties."

Prof Md Moududul Haque, convener of Bangladesh Society of Neurosurgeons, and its joint convener Md Zahid Raihan also spoke at the event.