The Hindu Business Line : Nationwide network for trauma care mooted

THE Andhra Pradesh Government has called for setting up of a `National Network of Emergency Medical Services' with the active participation of Government and private hospitals, Indian Medical Association and non-Governmental agencies to put in place a well-knit trauma care system through out the country.

Dr M Anji Reddy, Commissioner of AP Vaidya Vidhana Parishad and General, Medical and Health Services, said that one million deaths could be avoided every year if emergency medical care can be provided to the victims. Ninety-five per cent of them didn't receive proper care during the crucial hour.

"Although trauma is a major cause of morbidity and mortality and hospital-based patient care is abundant, many developing countries do not yet have organised trauma care systems," he said.

He was presenting a paper on `Recent Trends in Emergency Medical Services' at the global conference on `Disaster Management Infrastructure and Control Systems' held here recently.

Stressing the need for establishing a nationwide network to take care of trauma cases, he felt that the development of such a system could not be built overnight.

"But development of such a well-knit system can be made an ongoing process, with the benefits being apparent after years of planning and hard work," he said.

"For one, the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad record 25,953 trauma cases, bulk of which being registered at Osmania General Hospital.

At least 30 per cent of deaths could have been averted had quality medical care been available to them in the critical period," Mr Reddy said.

"It is very unfortunate that majority of these avoidable deaths are in the productive age group," he regretted.

Mr Reddy appealed to the Government to set up `Accident Prevention and Trauma Control' programmes at the national and State levels on a par with the other national health programmes such as the national TB control programme and the national programme for prevention of blindness.

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