The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has tied up with Australia's Alfred Health and Monash University to strengthen trauma-care systems across the country.
Under the project, both the countries will exchange and share their trauma care services, expertise and research information to improve trauma care systems.
The Australian and Indian Governments are investing over 2.6 million dollars through their Australia-India Strategic Research Fund Grand Challenge Scheme, to find the best ways of delivering needed care to injured people.
"Trauma-care systems in India are at a nascent stage of development. Industrialised cities, rural towns and villages co-exist with almost complete lack of organised trauma care. There is gross disparity between trauma services available in various parts of the country," said Dr Subodh Kumar, Additional Professor of Surgery, Jay Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre, AIIMS.
Rural India has inefficient services for trauma care, due to the varied topography, financial constraints and lack of appropriate health infrastructure, he said, adding there is no national lead agency to co-ordinate various components of a trauma system.
Further, he said that, there is no mechanism for accreditation of trauma centres and professionals exists.
"A nation-wide survey encompassing various facilities has demonstrated significant deficiencies in current trauma systems," he said.
The project will be led by AIIMS Director and AIIMS trauma centre chief M C Mishra.
The National Trauma Research Institute is also a lead partner in the collaboration.
The bilateral research and development collaborative sponsored by the Government of India and the Australian Government will be announced at the sixth International Congress--TRAUMA 2013, to be held here between November 8 and 10.
The event is being organised by the Indian Society for Trauma and Acute Care (ISTAC) along with the AIIMS Trauma Centre.
