Noted sports medicine doctor P.S.M. Chandran on Wednesday lauded the efforts of the medical team at SCG in facilitating Phillip Hughes’ prompt transfer to the hospital after he suffered a blow to his head, and said it should act as an eye opener for Indian sports administrators.
Hughes had undergone surgery and remained in a critical condition after suffering a sickening blow to the head during the Sheffield Shield match between New South Wales and South Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Tuesday.
“Injuries are inevitable in sports. But Phillip Hughes episode showed to millions of TV viewers across the world how a system can gear up to address emergency situations and respond to it effectively to ensure that the injured player reaches the hospital,” he said in a statement.
Chandran, who is president of Indian Federation of Sports Medicine, added, “Will our sports administrators take note of it and act accordingly so that precious young lives could be saved in our playing fields? Invest few more rupees into this requirement; in turn we will be saving millions of rupees in hospital care and also save precious lives of youngsters who strive hard to earn laurels for the country in the name of sports.”
South Australia’s Hughes collapsed to the ground face-first after a delivery from NSW bowler Sean Abbott struck him on the head. Hughes was carried off on a stretcher and taken to hospital where he was put in an induced coma following surgery. That was preceded by a mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
Chandran further said, “Train players, umpires and sports officials on first aid and CPR. They will be able to come to the rescue of the injured player on the ground and give him/her a fresh lease of life.”
Traumatised players from the New South Wales and South Australia sides were being offered counselling after Hughes was taken to the hospital following the shocking head injury.
“In the middle of this calamity two things stand out. The quick and optimum response of the medical team at the ground and the initiative taken by the Sydney Cricket Association to provide counselling to the players who were traumatized by this accident. Both are indeed commendable steps unfamiliar to Indian scenario,” Chandran said.
