The government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tata Trust for setting up a ₹12-crore Apex Training and Simulation Centre in Trauma and Emergency Medicine, as part of evolving a modern and comprehensive trauma management system in the State.
The MoU was signed by Principal Secretary (Health) Rajan N. Khobragade; the Chief Finance Officer of Tata Trust, Ashish Deshpande; Head-Health (Tata Trust), Srinivas HSD; and the Director of Hyderabad-based Care Institute of Health Sciences (CIHS), Kashi Raju, in the presence of Health Minister, K. K. Shylaja here on Monday.
First in country
Speaking on the occasion, Ms. Shylaja said that this was the first time in the country that such a modern trauma training centre is being set up in the public sector. The proposed apex training centre for trauma management is coming up at the Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, under the Directorate of Medical Education.
The training centre is expected to be functional within the next six months.
The centre, which is being set up as a partnership between Tata Trust and CIHS, will provide training in trauma management to over 9,000 health personnel, including doctors, nurses, and paramedics.
Tata Trust will manage the centre for the first two years, develop core trauma training faculty and then hand over the centre to the Health Department.
Basic training
Every medical student will in future have to undergo the basics in trauma and emergency management and get trained in managing various trauma situations through simulation devices. The course is expected to be drawn up in partnership with Warwick University, U.K. and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.
The training centre is part of a wide network of trauma management facilities that the government is envisaging in the public sector. Thiruvananthapuram MCH has been allocated ₹20.77 crore for setting up trauma care facility in its emergency wing.
With World Bank assistance, a ₹28.21-crore trauma management project involving Kottarakkara, Kanyakulangara, and Adoor taluk hospitals and linking it to MCH here is also being drawn up.
State-wide network
The government, as part of setting up a State-wide trauma management network, has created 106 posts, including 41 faculty posts.
Utilising Central funds, Level 2 and 3 trauma care facilities are also being set up in Thiruvananthapuram, Alappuzha, Ernakulam, and Palakkad.
The project also involves the setting up of a network of GPS-enabled ambulances across the State, connected to a Central call centre.
