Kerala: Trauma care poised for leap

Thiruvananthapuram: Experts from Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre AIIMS will visit the state early November to wrap up discussions on trauma care modules and protocols, in a follow-up of efforts, starting with Health Minister K. K. Shylaja’s visit to AIIMS. A meeting convened here on Friday by Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Rajeev Sadanandan and attended by specialists handling trauma in different hospitals, including the private sector, discussed the most important aspect of triaging - branding grave, not so grave and walking and talking patients - at the emergency wing.

The very serious would be categorised red, those less serious yellow and the walking and talking category green. The main problem at casualty, says Dr Mohammed Shaeel, member of the National Trauma Care Expert Committee, along with Jai Prakash Centre head, Dr Sanjeev Bhoi, is that the vocal section of patients gets immediate attention over those really sick and unable to make themselves heard.

There has been a flurry of activity on trauma care, between AIIMS and the Government Medical College Thiruvananthapuram, since April but the death of Tirunelveli native Murugan, after being denied emergency care, has raised public awareness about issues in the critical care sector. Updating emergency protocols for all sections will now be the priority of each department and programmes have to be ready by November when the AIIMS team is expected to apportion extended training to medics and paramedics at Thiruvananthapuram MCH.

The model evolved in Thiruvananthapuram would be replicated in hospitals across the State. It would be like a ready reckoner, with display boards at each emergency section, highlighting the respective protocol. Dr Shaheel said that in the absence of a well-writ protocol, departments in different hospitals handled cortical patients according to their own logic, which was often not the well-advised. A uniform protocol would ensure the latest treatment option for patients, he said.