VP Naidu calls for inclusion of Emergency medicine, trauma care into Medical Courses Curriculum

Shri Naidu asked Medical colleges to incorporate courses relating to emergency medicine and train the undergraduates to deal with the whole gamut of emergencies such as accidents, heart attacks, natural calamities, and others.

New Delhi: There is a need to include Emergency medicine and trauma care in the curriculum of Undergraduate courses to train medical students to deal with a whole gamut of situations relating to emergency medicine, stated the Vice President of India, Shri M Venkaiah Naidu while inaugurating the 10th Asian Conference of Emergency Medicine (ACEM) at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi.

Emergency medicine is gaining momentum across the globe and advancements have been made in identifying and treating life-threatening conditions arising out of natural disasters, accidents, epidemics and other related events.

He called for stepping up investments to provide timely and high-quality Emergency Health Services in the country. He urged all stakeholders in the health sector to develop programs and manuals to train citizens in emergency first aid procedures such as Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) for people as they would help in saving lives while waiting for emergency services.

Vice President pointed out that over 3,700 die in accidents on world's roads every day and tens of millions get injured or disabled every year. He said children, pedestrians, cyclists, and older people were among the most vulnerable of road users. Many of the road accident deaths could be prevented by providing immediate pre-hospital care.

Calling for steps to create a well-structured Emergency Medical Services, he said that bystander training and protocols for trauma resuscitation were extremely important elements in improving the architecture of emergency medicine.

The Vice President further stressed the need to develop standardized treatment manuals for all hospitals dealing with emergency and trauma cases in India.

"Taking into consideration the topographical and other diversities between India and the Western countries, the Asian Society of Emergency Medicine should come up with tailor-made solutions to the emergency conditions peculiar to this region with particular focus on reaching the rural population," he said.

Shri Naidu asked Medical colleges to incorporate courses relating to emergency medicine and train the undergraduates to deal with the whole gamut of emergencies such as accidents, heart attacks, natural calamities, and others.

Referring to the growing incidence of Non Communicable Diseases, especially among the youth, Vice President urged medical professionals to visit nearby schools and colleges to create awareness on preventive measures and to adopt healthy dietary and lifestyle habits.

"In India too, some hospitals like Apollo Hospital at Hyderabad and the Christian Medical College, Vellore realized the need to upgrade their casualty wings into Departments of Emergency Medicine and develop the required manpower," he added.

They also started Post-graduate Fellowship in Emergency Medicine in collaboration with institutions from western countries, mainly the UK and the USA. Thus, the birth of SEMI (Society of Emergency Medicine India), a member of ACEM, took place in Hyderabad around 2001.

In 2009, the Medical Council of India (MCI) recognized Emergency Medicine as one of the Post-graduate specialty courses and started Post graduate MD, followed by DNB courses by National Board of Examinations in 2013.

According to WHO, strengthening pre-hospital care by training community-based providers and using staffed community ambulances has been estimated to cost less than US $100 per life saved and has been shown to reduce mortality by 25-30 per cent in some low and middle income country contexts.

It is estimated that over 3,700 die in accidents on world's roads every day and tens of millions get injured or disabled every year. Children, pedestrians, cyclists and older people are among the most vulnerable of road users. A number of road accident deaths could be prevented by providing immediate pre-hospital care and with adequate knowledge of handling emergency situations, especially by the staff manning ambulances.

There is also a need to adopt standardized treatment protocols by all hospitals that are dealing with emergency and trauma cases, stated the Minister adding, "I feel that the area of behavioral emergencies needs the attention of the experts gathered here. Instead of straightway recommending a patient with severe panic attacks or anxiety disorders to see a psychiatrist, emergency care specialists should also get trained to treat such cases."

Prof. Yildirey Cete, President, Asian Society for Emergency Medicine, India, Dr. K. Hariprasad, Executive Chairman, ACEM, Dr. Sateesh Kailasam, President, Asian Society for Emergency Medicine were among the dignitaries present at the inaugural of the Conference which will see participation of over 2000 delegates from different countries in coming four days.

Read Also: GMC Pudukottai to start DNB Emergency Medicine with 2 seats; gets NBE nod