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Move to create awareness on trauma

By Staff reporter

GUWAHATI, Oct 23 � Trauma is a major cause of death and disability across the world. It is for this that commemoration of World Trauma Day emphasizes the importance of saving and protecting a life during the most critical moments and preparing and applying critical measures to deal with and avoid trauma fatalities.

Addressing a press conference on the occasion of World Trauma Day on October 17, Dr Atanu Barthakur, medical director (trauma and critical care specialist) of the city-based Hayat Hospital, said that the hospital had planned a monthly programme to create awareness among the people about all kinds of trauma, especially linked to road traffic accidents.

�The objective is to sensitize the public on the need to provide assistance to accident victims and immediate care,� he said, adding that the hospital was fully equipped to deal with cases of trauma.

Trauma has been defined as unplanned unexpected injury. According to various surveys, road traffic accidents ranked as the 11th leading cause of death and account for 2.1 per cent of all deaths globally.

Dr. Barthakur said that human suffering caused by road crashes was huge � for every victim of a crash, there were family members, friends, and communities who must cope with the physical, psychological and economic consequences of the death, injury or disability of a loved one.

�Crash survivors and their families must cope with the painful and often long-term consequences of injury, disability and rehabilitation. In many cases, the cost of care, the loss of the primary breadwinner, funeral expenses, or the loss of income due to disability can drive a family into poverty,� he said, adding that while human suffering in itself is a reason to act now, but the economic impact is also significant. In low- and middle-income countries, the cost of road traffic injuries is estimated at US$ 65 billion, exceeding the total amount these countries receive in development assistance.

In Assam, well over 1,000 people die annually in road accidents with more than 5,000 getting severely injured. While the ratio of death and disabilities in road accidents is 1:6, one-third of the severely injured patients die on the way to hospital. Again, half of all crash victims are vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.

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