THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Emergency Medicine Department at Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, has been designated one of the eight Centres of Excellence for Trauma Care and Burns Treatment in the country.
This recognition places Thiruvananthapuram Medical College alongside prestigious health institutions like AIIMS Delhi, Safdarjung Hospital, JIPMER Puducherry, and PGI Chandigarh.
The Department of Medical Education has received an official notification as part of the National Programme for Prevention and Management of Injuries and Burns (NPPMT&BI). As a Centre of Excellence, the medical college will receive `2 crore annually for the years 2024-25 and 2025-26.
Health Minister Veena George said the Centre of Excellence will help expand the trauma and burns treatment facilities in the state. Thiruvananthapuram Medical College will now serve as the state’s apex centre for emergency and burns care.
The allocated funds will be used for training, skill development, research, innovation, technology adoption, and equipment upgrades. The medical college is also introducing an advanced emergency medicine and trauma care system, including a scientific triage system, a chest pain clinic, a stroke hotline, state-of-the-art testing systems, and a patient-friendly environment.A new special block with 100 ICU beds and a single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scan has been installed.
Representatives from AIIMS and the World Health Organisation visited the facility and praised the emergency department’s progress. The burns unit, established under the Plastic Surgery Department, has an intensive care system in the Burns ICU that minimises infection risks and speeds up recovery.
Additionally, the first skin bank in Kerala will soon be set up at the Medical College. The skin bank will collect, preserve, and transplant skin to patients in need using advanced technology.
As part of a broader development plan, the medical college is undergoing `717 crore in upgrades funded by the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB).