Date:27/10/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/10/27/stories/2006102716570400.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Seminar focus on rising road deaths

Staff Reporter

U.S. specialists to train doctors

HANDS ON: Dr. Alasdair Conn (left) and Dr. Tobias Barker simulate a trauma care situation at SRM Medical College Hospital on Thursday. — PHOTO: A. Muralitharan

TAMBARAM : Speakers at an international symposium here on Thursday expressed concern over the spiralling road deaths in India, calling for accident victim treatment protocols to be followed stringently.

Doctors from hospitals in Boston, Massachusetts, said traffic accidents would increase given the growing number of vehicles. Under the circumstances, India had to adopt greater technology to combat it.

The observations came at the conference held at SRM Medical College Hospital, Kattankulathur on Thursday.

Alasdair Conn, Chief, Emergency Medicine Service, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, said rapid response, early location of the accident spot, identification of the injured and pre-hospital care were the key factors in saving lives. Dr. Conn said India should stress pre-hospital care for accident victims, many of whom died on the way to hospital. P. Sathyanarayanan, Vice-Chancellor of SRM University, said the institution had tied up with Brigham and Women's Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital to have its doctors and nurses trained by their counterparts on specialised emergency and trauma care.

Tobias Barker of Brigham and Women's Hospital said it was important to follow standard protocols while attending to accident victims.

The different wings of the hospital should work together instead of pulling in different directions, he said.

About 120 students and doctors from different medical colleges in the State took part in the meet.