Hyderabad: The International Trauma Care (ITC) Hyderabad Chapter was launched on Wednesday with a call to strengthen Telangana’s trauma care ecosystem amid rising road accident fatalities. Experts said the state records nearly 8,000 road deaths every year, underscoring the urgent need for better trauma prevention, emergency response, and rehabilitation.
The launch event was held at Anantha Rehabilitation Center in Begumpet.
ITC Hyderabad Chapter to Promote Trauma Care and Road Safety
The newly formed Hyderabad Chapter will be led by Dr. Manas Panigrahi, Senior Neurosurgeon at KIMS Hospitals, as President, while Dr. Ashima Sharma, Senior Professor of Emergency Medicine at NIMS, has taken charge as Secretary.
International Trauma Care (ITC) is a multidisciplinary professional organisation established in 1988 by Dr. Martin Issac, who developed the internationally recognised Comprehensive Trauma Life Support (CTLS) programme. The organisation works to reduce deaths and disabilities caused by trauma, particularly road traffic injuries, through prevention, emergency care, treatment, rehabilitation, education, and research.
The Hyderabad Chapter plans to create awareness on trauma prevention and emergency response across Telangana by conducting programmes for schools, colleges, police personnel, healthcare workers, and community organisations. It will also organise Continuing Medical Education (CME) programmes and CTLS training at medical institutions across the state.
Experts highlighted that trauma remains one of India’s biggest public health challenges, with nearly 19 people losing their lives every hour in road accidents nationwide. India records around 1.68 lakh road accident deaths annually.
Telangana ranks among the states with the highest number of road fatalities, reporting nearly 25,000 road accidents and around 8,000 deaths every year, with young people accounting for a significant share of the victims.
Doctors noted that the proportion of fatal road accidents has increased from around 30 per cent to nearly 35 per cent in recent years, indicating the growing severity of crashes.
They stressed the importance of the Golden Hour—the first hour after a traumatic injury—during which timely medical intervention can significantly improve survival rates.
Speaking at the launch, Dr. Manas Panigrahi highlighted the increasing number of severe head injuries and preventable deaths caused by delays in accessing specialised trauma care.
Dr. Ashima Sharma said trauma awareness and first-response education should reach every section of society so that citizens can provide immediate assistance during emergencies before professional medical teams arrive.
The event was coordinated by Dr. Rajanarsing Rao, National ITC. Dr. Chandrasekhar, Secretary of National ITC and former Professor of Anaesthesiology at Osmania General Hospital, said the organisation would undertake initiatives to improve trauma care standards across Hyderabad and Telangana.
ITC Plans District Trauma Skill Centres Across Telangana
The organisation unveiled its vision to establish District Trauma Skill Centres across Telangana to train doctors, nurses, paramedics, police personnel, firefighters, teachers, students, and community volunteers in essential trauma response.
ITC also proposed the creation of Integrated Trauma Care Centres that combine prevention, emergency response, definitive treatment, rehabilitation, education, and research under a single coordinated framework.
The organisation said it would work with the Telangana Government, healthcare institutions, emergency services, educational institutions, and civil society organisations to make Telangana a national model for trauma care.
During the event, doctors also expressed concern over the growing use of mobile phones while driving and walking, describing distracted road use as a major contributor to accidents.
They observed that even after traffic signals turn green, motorists often hesitate to move because of the risk of vehicles violating red lights. Experts also pointed to incidents of vehicles falling from flyovers, stressing that trauma can occur anywhere and at any time.
They concluded that trauma care should not remain confined to hospitals and healthcare professionals, but should become a community responsibility, with every citizen equipped with basic life-saving skills.
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