Trauma Care WHO Collaborating Centre for Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion

Trauma care

An important determinant that defines the outcome and impact of any injury is the availability, accessibility and affordability of trauma care services. Trauma care or post-crash care includes all activities from the time of crash/injury till the person is returned to optimum levels of functioning. It involves taking the right person to the right place at the right time to provide the required services. 

The major activities of the CC have focused on assessment of pre-hospital and in-hospital care in different research projects of Road traffic injury, Traumatic Brain Injury, Suicides and violence using mixed research methods. Trauma care assessments of different levels of hospitals in urban and rural India for RTI persons have been undertaken in different studies, In addition, system assessment of emergency care and hospital care has focused on limitations in the existing system and areas of strengthening. Further, studies have also focused on the cost of trauma care and its impact on the injured persons.

In 2013–16, implementation project for strengthening integrated trauma care services was facilitated by the CC in collaboration with KSHDRP of Karnataka through a World Bank-supported project in 3 districts of Karnataka. Guidelines for trauma care and protocols for management of injuries in district hospitals were developed and implemented in the 3 districts.

Under the BRSIPP, trauma care strengthening in several partner institutions were scaled up in the emergency rooms to provide early care for injured persons by conducting several rounds of training programmes.  

In 2018, The Centre has to undertake the baseline assessment along with monitoring and evaluation of the Tamil Nadu Accident and Emergency Initiative (TAEI) to major progress in trauma care implementation across select hospitals of Tamil Nadu in collaboration with Tamil Nadu Health system project .

The data from various studies has been provided to policymakers, hospital administrators, trauma care specialists, professional bodies and media to strengthen trauma care services across the country. Inputs are also provided for a number of training programmes for different professionals.