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Experts Emphasise Initial Handling
and Care to Reduce Mortality
Trauma is one of the leading causes of death and disability not only in population
in Pakistan but also in those across
the globe. Trauma cases are probably more amenable to treatment
than cancer, stroke and some heart diseases, if managed appropriately.
In South Asia trauma related mortality
is increasing and, according to WHO, by the year 2020 trauma will
be the leading cause of productive life loss for both developed
nations and developing nations.
Appropriate management in the early hours can significantly reduce the associated
deaths and disabilities. In order to achieve this, it is important
that doctors and paramedical staff who are involved in the management
of trauma patients should be well trained in the initial handling
and care.
With this aim, Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) has started awareness and
training programmes for health care providers. "Unfortunately in
developing countries, very little attention has been given at any
level to improve the management of victims who most of the time
are young healthy individuals and may be the only bread earners
of the family," said Dr. Muhammad Qamarul
Hoda, Course Director, and Associate Professor,
Department of Anaesthesia, AKUH. He said that by improving trauma
care in the "golden hour", mortality could be reduced which would
not only benefit the victims and their families but also be of great
benefit to the nation.
The three-day
intensive course consisted of pre and post-course test, core content
lectures, interactive case presentation and discussions on simulated
patients, video-assisted learning, hands-on life saving procedures
on manikins and anaesthetized animals, and a final performance proficiency
evaluation followed by certification of successful candidates.
The ceremony was also opportune for the launch of a "trauma manual" that covers
important trauma related topics written by national and international
authors of related fields. This manual was also given to the participants
of the course and is available for all health care providers.
The ceremony also included a short film on the current state of management of
trauma patient in our country which needs to be changed.
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