For the first time in India, the World Health Organization (WHO) has initiated training for mass casualty management at AIIMS.
New Delhi, October 1: The WHO Academy has launched a Training of Trainers (TOT) Programme for Emergency Units Preparedness and Response, marking its first initiative in India at the AIIMS trauma centre in the capital.
The WHO Academy designed the Mass Casualty Management (MCM) program for healthcare professionals in emergency units, including doctors, nurses, logistics staff, management, and technicians.
Professor Kamran Farooque, Chief of JPNATC AIIMS trauma centre, said, "This is a patented Mass Casualty Course that will be crucial during events where hospitals need to manage mass casualties, allowing for the maximum number of lives to be saved. The team has experience from countries like Somalia, Iraq, and others. Our vision is that the faculty trained here at the AIIMS trauma centre will provide training nationwide in hospitals and medical institutes."
He added, "The course will span five days, with three days dedicated to the course and two days for training. Faculty from other AIIMS institutions are also participating."
Dr. Harald Veen, Course Lead for the Mass Casualty Management Course, WHO EMRO, stated, "It’s impossible to treat every at-risk patient during mass casualty events. In these situations, decisions must be made on how to best allocate available resources to those who need them most. This mass casualty management model, developed by an international group of experts with WHO, aims to optimize patient care during such crises. We are thrilled to introduce this system in India."
He further explained that the training's objective is to equip hospitals to manage situations where a large number of people require treatment simultaneously.
Dr. Ali Mehdi, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon and Medical Director at Kent and Canterbury Hospital, UK, commented, "Saving even one life is a significant achievement. This event is monumental not only for AIIMS but for India as a whole."
The participating institutions include AIIMS New Delhi, AIIMS Jodhpur, AIIMS Patna, and AIIMS Jammu.
The WHO stated that after completing the MCM course, participants should be able to assess local situations and ensure an "all hazards" approach is followed.