Kerala - Kollam   

`Trauma care facilities lacking in country'

By Our Staff Reporter

KOLLAM, MAY 23 . David Romig, trauma care expert from the U.S., today opined that in India trauma care was yet to be given its due importance as an emergency medical service.

Talking to The Hindu here, he said that even in many cities in the country, trauma care did not form part of the medical service. Dr. Romig from the Emergency Medical Care Service at San Francisco is here to lead a five-day training course for doctors on Basic Trauma Life Support and Basic Life Support organised by the Sree Narayana Trusts Medical Mission at the Shankar Institute of Medical Sciences.

However, he said he was happy to note that a dedicated effort was emerging at least from some quarters to give trauma care the much needed seriousness. He said the lack of basic trauma care was one of the main reasons for the escalation in the number of accident deaths.

Dr. Romig said the response from many hospitals in the country of late towards trauma care was a positive signal. However, to achieve a full-fledged trauma care system would take time. Doctors alone cannot do it, he said adding that there should be proper awareness among the people too. The Government should also actively involve in the effort, he said.

Dr. Romig said the Indian Institute of Emergency Medical Service (IIEMS) was in the forefront to realise this goal. Creating awareness, providing the infrastructure and ensuring access to the infrastructure were the basic necessities in trauma care. He said the prime hurdle that came in the way of public participation in trauma care was fear of the legal aspects involved. In the U.S., in order to overcome this fear, there is a special Act called the Good Samaritan Act that states: `If you stop in good faith to help someone you will not be penalised'.

Dr. Romig noted that there was lack of proper ambulance facilities in the country. Moreover, India lacked the imperative category of paramedical staff to deal with emergency situations like accidents and natural calamities, which warrant mandatory trauma care during the "golden hour" or the first crucial hour for an accident victim. He said along with the IIEMS, a plan was being worked out to bring in trauma life support supplies from the U.S. This would include the Automated External Defibrillators, which can be set up at public places and with the required training any lay man would be able to operate the gadget.

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