Home > Talk Forum > Article 1

A man walking on the road, would never forsee the events happening in a busy road. Understood, that the destiny of an individual very much depends on his deeds, but God forbid if the individual ends up in a major road traffic accident or in a dire medical emergency, an Indian in general, would have very slim chances of survival or morbid free life.

Who is to be blamed? The rising population!? The ineffective traffic management body!!? Or the Government for not educating the people, the traffic sense and general health care!!?

Maybe one should ponder about effective emergency medicine department in each and every health institution. Yes, I do believe, this should solve most of the emergency problems pertaining to health. An eye witness, is the relative rate of mortality in India in comparison with the US, UK and Australia where emergency medicine has nutured and flourished to the zenith.

Emergency medicine in India, is still at its infancy. Very few institutions in India, promoted this vital branch of medicine, as a result of which, the concept of 'Golden Hour', the first few hours of any medical or surgical emergency that would hugely determine the mortality and morbidity of any individual, never really existed in India. Emergency Medicine, sadly never gained recognition and still remains a sort of 'referral' department, with most inexperienced and untrained doctors to man it.

Thanks to the new rule passed by the Government, that, every hospital requiring a proper ISO rating should have a full fledged emergency department with doctors trained and qualified in emergency medicine and not just the age old general medicine or anaesthesiology. It does make a difference as is evident with a couple of major corporate hospitals in Hyderabad, Chennai and Delhi, where the patient pick up time has unbelievably shrunk by the way of effective coordination between the doctors of the emergency department and emergency mobile services.

I, hope and I do believe, that the general public would gain more vigilance and awareness of this upgrowing medical specialty. Nevertheless, the heads of corporate and Government hospitals, now realise that a good emergency medicine department, would play a vital role in drawing the most needy patients and thus earn a 'good will' from the public, apart from gaining financially.

The need of the hour, the day and the days ahead, needless to mention, should be to understand, encourage and promote this most exciting and satisfying field of medicine, emergency medicine.

Its is not just enough to do things, but doing things in the most appropriate time is the factor. After all, the precious life just takes a few minutes to depart. Time does count.

Dr. P. E. R. Subrahmanyam, FEM (CMC, Vellore) Emergency Incharge, Apollo Hospital - DRDO, Hyderabad. 01-July-2006