Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Wednesday expressed serious concern over lack of trauma care facilities in peripheral hospitals of Kashmir valley because of which precious lives are lost.
“Absence of trained staff and equipment to deal with trauma patients is costing lives,” said DAK President Dr Nisar ul Hassan in a statement.
“The peripheral hospitals lack trauma specialists, anesthetists, blood banks, intensive care units which are essential to handle critically injured patients,” he said.
Dr Nisar said every trauma patient is referred to tertiary care hospitals in Srinagar.
“Majority of these patients die because they are unable to reach Srinagar within the “golden hour” which is crucial for survival in a trauma patient,” he said.
“Time makes the difference between life and death in trauma cases.”
“For patients who require surgical intervention urgently, if they don’t get it immediately, they die,” he said.
Dr Nisar said while prehospital care saves lives of injured patients, in Kashmir there is no concept of this most important component of trauma care.
“Lack of medical attention at injury site leads to overwhelming proportion of deaths among injured patients,” he said.