The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Triage process mooted during civilian emergency

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Sunday, Mar 02, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Triage process mooted during civilian emergency

Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD: Adopting best military practices would help in improving the response system during civilian emergencies, said speakers at a conference organised by the Emergency Management and Research Institute (EMRI) here on Friday.

Some military medicine practices like setting up dedicated trauma care units and rapid transportation with least discomfort to victims would help tackle disasters effectively. Triage is another military medicine practice that can be effectively utilised during disasters -- be it man-made or natural. Triage is a process for sorting injured people into groups based on their need for or likely benefit from immediate medical treatment.

Judgement aspect

“If a person with fractures and another profusely bleeding are lying at the spot, extend medical treatment to the latter immediately,” doctor Colonel Kumud Rai, said. If not treated immediately, chances are more that a profusely bleeding person may die. A person with fractured limb can be treated even a few hours later. This can be done by allocating red, yellow and green discs or tags -- in the descending order of seriousness -- to the victims. Sharing his experiences, Mr. Rai said that setting up a trauma care unit in a large hall with x-ray and pathological units helped save lives of several seriously injured during Kargil war.

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