International Trauma Care launches Hyderabad Chapter to strengthen Telangana’s trauma care ecosystem

International Trauma Care (ITC) has launched its Hyderabad Chapter at a meeting held at Anantha Rehabilitation Center, Begumpet, with the aim of strengthening trauma prevention, emergency response and trauma care across Telangana.

International Trauma Care (ITC) is a professional, multidisciplinary organisation committed to reducing deaths and disabilities caused by trauma, particularly road traffic injuries.

The Hyderabad Chapter was formally launched with Dr Manas Panigrahi, Senior Neurosurgeon at KIMS Hospitals, assuming charge as President, and Dr Ashima Sharma, Senior Professor of Emergency Medicine at NIMS, taking over as Secretary.

ITC was conceived by Dr Martin Issac in 1988. He designed, developed and implemented the Comprehensive Trauma Life Support (CTLS) programme internationally. According to the organisation, ITC follows a comprehensive approach to trauma care by focusing on prevention, promotion, treatment and rehabilitation. Over the past two decades, it has prioritised road traffic accident prevention at the community level, rapid response systems, standardised triage, stabilisation and definitive trauma care.

The Hyderabad Chapter will create awareness on trauma prevention and emergency response across Telangana by engaging schools, colleges, police personnel and other stakeholder groups. It will also organise Continuing Medical Education (CME) programmes and conduct Comprehensive Trauma Life Support (CTLS) training in medical institutions in Hyderabad and regional centres across the state.

According to the information shared during the launch, trauma remains one of India’s public health challenges. Every hour, nearly 19 people lose their lives in road traffic accidents across the country, while around 1.68 lakh people die in road crashes annually.

Experts at the event stated that while post-crash emergency care remains critical, road safety requires a comprehensive approach based on the three Es—Engineering, Enforcement and Education. They noted that trauma care management requires a multidisciplinary and multi-level strategy.

According to the organisers, Telangana ranks ninth in the country in terms of road accident fatalities, recording nearly 8,000 deaths annually from around 25,000 road accidents, with young people accounting for the majority of the victims.

Experts also noted that nearly 35 per cent of road accidents now result in fatalities compared to around 30 per cent a few years ago, indicating an increase in the severity of road crashes.

They also highlighted the importance of the “Golden Hour” following a traumatic injury, stating that timely access to specialised trauma care during this period can improve survival rates. They added that every second counts in trauma care.

ITC is also expanding its network by inducting office-bearers and advisors from community-based organisations, policymakers and professionals from medical, nursing, paramedical and physiotherapy disciplines.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Manas Panigrahi highlighted the urgent need for trauma prevention and drew attention to the increasing incidence of severe head injuries and avoidable deaths caused by delays in reaching appropriate medical care.

Dr Ashima Sharma emphasised that trauma awareness and first-response education should reach people from all walks of life, enabling communities to respond during emergencies.

Dr Rajanarsing Rao, National ITC, coordinated the launch event.

Dr Chandrasekhar, Secretary, National ITC and former Professor of Anaesthesiology at Osmania General Hospital, said ITC would undertake initiatives aimed at bringing measurable improvements to the trauma care ecosystem across Hyderabad and Telangana.

During the event, the newly formed body outlined its vision for Telangana, stating that trauma care should not remain confined to hospitals or medical professionals alone and that saving lives requires community participation.

As part of this vision, ITC plans to extend trauma care awareness and training to every district in Telangana through the establishment of District Trauma Skill Centres. These centres will train doctors, nurses, paramedics, first responders, police personnel, firefighters, teachers, students and community volunteers in trauma care skills.

The organisation also proposed the establishment of Integrated Trauma Care Centres that will bring together prevention, emergency response, treatment, rehabilitation, education and research under a coordinated framework. According to ITC, these centres will strengthen the trauma care ecosystem and support timely, standardised care for trauma patients.

ITC also stated that trauma care should be recognised as an essential competency for healthcare professionals and frontline personnel, adding that equipping people with trauma management skills can help reduce preventable deaths and disabilities.

The organisation said it aims to work with the Government of Telangana, healthcare institutions, emergency services, educational institutions and civil society organisations to make Telangana a model for trauma care through training, emergency response, integrated service delivery, research and community participation.

Several doctors at the launch expressed concern over the increasing distraction caused by mobile phone use while driving and walking, stating that it contributes to the number of road accidents and fatalities.

They also observed that motorists often hesitate to move even after traffic signals turn green because of the possibility of vehicles crossing red lights from other directions. They contrasted this with Western countries, where compliance with traffic rules creates greater predictability on roads.

Other experts stated that road users today need to do more than look left and right before proceeding. Referring to incidents involving vehicles falling from elevated roads and flyovers, including accidents reported in Hyderabad, they remarked, “In today’s urban environment, we must also look up.”

They added that such incidents reinforce the need for trauma care awareness, stating that trauma can occur anywhere and that every citizen should possess basic trauma response skills until professional medical assistance arrives.