Citing the increasing number of road accidents on the stretch between Palpannai and Thuvakudi, public welfare organisations emphasise that an exclusive trauma care section at Taluk Government Hospital in Thuvakudi is an absolute need.
In the absence of such a provision, accident cases being brought in 108 Emergency Care ambulances are being diverted to Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital as there are no surgeons or neuro surgeons at Thuvakudi hospital.
But, by then, the ‘golden hour’ is lost and the victims die by the time they are admitted to the trauma care in the tertiary-level hospital, N. Anbazhagan, president of Tiruverumbur-based Tamil Nadu Makkal Valarchi Kuzhu, said.
Though the very reason for conversion of the upgraded primary health centre at Thuvakudi into a taluk government hospital during 2014 was to ensure timely care for accident victims along the stretch, there has been no progress on this front, Mr. Anbazhagan said.
The Tamil Nadu State Trauma Care Policy envisages halving the number of deaths (8,500 per year), by 2023. The objective of the policy is to ensure definitive treatment for the injured within the ‘golden hour’, through selection of government hospitals for developing various levels of trauma care centres on the basis of road infrastructure and connectivity. Government hospitals on highways receive priority under the policy.
The concept of Emergency Stabilisation Centre is that if proper first aid is given in the first one hour after the trauma, the road accident casualties have greater chance of survival and reduction in severity of injuries.
Regular visitors to Thuvakudi hospital say there is severe manpower constraint. For instance, there is a sole sanitary worker, and just two workers for the 60-bedded hospital, which has an effective bed strength of 45. On an average, 30 to 40 deliveries, including Caesarian sections, are conducted at the hospital. The absence of orthopaedic and neurology sections is also felt.
C. G. Gopinath, Joint Director, Health Services, said the issue has been discussed at a review meeting and a proposal will soon be sent to the government for setting up trauma care units at Thuvakudi and Thuraiyur taluk government hospitals.
