The Hindu : Kerala News : Network of trauma-care centres

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 31, 2005

Kerala

Kerala

Network of trauma-care centres

By C. Maya

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JAN. 30. The Department of Health has drawn up a major project to set up a network of trauma-care centres connecting all districts so that emergency healthcare facilities are available within an hour's journey from any point on major State roads.

The State, which has one of the highest accident rates in the country, also records more than 50 per cent of accident mortalities within the first hour (`golden hour') due to the inadequacy of trauma care facilities.

The project envisages a structured network of trauma-care centres at primary, secondary and tertiary levels, each located within 80-100 km so that nearly 98 per cent trauma care coverage can be given to the entire population, a senior Health Department official said. The estimated cost of the project is Rs. 30 crores, to be completed in five years in phases.

The project is likely to be included in the next budget under the minimum needs programme and the department has asked for Rs. 3 crores for phase I of the scheme, official sources said. Last year itself the department had made a beginning towards setting up a network of emergency care centres by identifying select hospitals close to the National Highways and strengthening these with emergency care equipment.

Primary centres

Primary trauma-care centres would be located at Primary Health Centres. Secondary trauma-care centres will be opened in select healthcare institutions in the districts and these would be linked to tertiary care centres located at different points by an efficient transport and communication system.

Accident-prone areas would be identified across the State highways.

According to the plan drawn up by the department, four tertiary trauma-care centres would be located in Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Palakkad and Manjeri. The location of 22 secondary care centres at taluk headquarter hospitals and 20 primary trauma-care centres have been strategically fixed.

All trauma-care centres will have good communication equipment, fully-equipped ambulance, resuscitation equipment, blood bank storage centre and blood transfusion facilities. Secondary and tertiary care centres will have operation theatres, X-ray and ultra sound machines, intensive care units, anaesthetising facilities, ophthalmology, orthopaedic and dental specialists. Tertiary care centres would also have facilities for microsurgery and super specialties like cardio thoracic and ENT.

Training

All centres will be interlinked and computerised, which would be integrated with the on-going computerisation process in the Health Department. The ultimate goal of the project is to bring down the number of accidents and reduce mortality.

The action plan for implementation of the project has pointed out the need to impart training to medical and paramedical staff in trauma care management; police, fire force personnel and voluntary organisations on transferring an accident victim and administering first aid; to teachers, school children and parents on general road safety. The implementation plan also suggests giving such training to drivers when driving licences are issued, periodic medical examination and vision testing.

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