THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A comprehensive trauma care network will be in place in the district from Thursday when the Trauma Rescue Initiative Thiruvananthapuram (TRI TVM) rolls out with the motto ‘nobody should be on road without treatment’. An initiative of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), it will help in providing the fastest trauma care in the golden hour itself.
TRI TVM is part of the statewide initiative of the IMA in trauma care. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate TRI TVM and also IMA Network for Trauma and Emergency Care (INTEC) on December 21 at Kanakakunnu Palace.
IMA had come up with the idea of creating a trauma care network across the state to deal with trauma patients following widespread criticism over the lack of such a facility in the state. The lack of proper trauma care was widely discussed in the wake of controversies related to the death of Tamil Nadu native Murugan, who allegedly died for want of proper trauma care facility.
Stating it a first step towards networking all the ambulances and hospitals having trauma care facilities in the city, IMA state secretary Dr N Sulphi said TRI TVM is being implemented with the active support and participation of the police.
As the first step, the calls directed to 108 for an emergency ambulance has also be linked to the emergency number 100 of the police. In case no ambulances are available with 108, then the calls get directed to 100, he said. Once the calls are received the ambulance drivers in the region where the accident occurred will receive an alert message. “If they are engaged, then they can decline the message and the next available driver gets the nod,” he said.
Sulphi said the ambulance drivers have already been provided with a chart and road map of the government hospitals that have trauma care facilities. Stating the cost of the ambulance will be borne by the IMA, he said those who can afford the payment can make it.
He said around 100 ambulance drivers have already been trained in the district. As the first step, ten hospitals in the city having trauma care facilities and ambulances have been networked. In the coming days, more hospitals will be added, he said.
Pointing out they were trying to make the network a foolproof one, Sujlphi said, “It should be noted that it took around three to four years for the developed countries to become perfect in trauma networking. We are trying to have a network, which will help a patient to be taken to the nearest hospital with all facilities from an accident spot. We are trying to create a mechanism where the golden hour is not wasted,” he said.
Though trauma care treatment is available in many of the major hospitals, there is lack of proper network. Once an accident happens, no one knows to which hospital should the patient be moved to. Most of the time it is the ambulance driver who takes the call on hospitals.
In the second stage, a control centre or a monitoring cell will be set up which will provide directions to ambulance drivers regarding the hospital the patient has to be taken, Sulphi said.
The IMA proposes to have a system where the patients are referred to hospitals as per the need. As per the proposal, the nurse in the ambulance dictates the condition of the patient to the control room. After analysing this, the driver of the ambulance is given directions regarding the hospital. The hospital authorities will also be informed about the patient.
The Chief Minister will hand over the keys of the ambulances being donated to the police department by IMA and Dr Ramesh Kumar Foundation. Health Minister K K Shylaja will inaugurate the networking of hospitals and ambulances. Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala will launch the TRI software.
100
ambulance drivers have already been trained in the district. As the first step, ten hospitals in the city having trauma care facilities and ambulances have been networked. In the coming days, more hospitals will be added. The ambulance drivers have already been provided with a chart and road map of the government hospitals that have trauma care facilities
108
As the first step, the calls directed to 108 for an emergency ambulance has been linked to the emergency number 100 of the police. In case no ambulances are available with 108, then the calls get directed to 100