The ICRC in collaboration with various wings of the Jammu and Kashmir health services recently organised capacity building trainings for specialist doctors who are now imparting emergency room trauma management skills to their colleagues from across the state.

This new pool of 15 trainers includes general surgeons, anaesthetists and orthopaedic surgeons working in different hospitals in the state. They have already conducted two emergency room trauma courses for doctors and paramedics in the state on standardized diagnostics and therapeutic procedures to be followed in the hospital emergency room to reduce trauma-related deaths. These training sessions are led by ICRC consultant trainer Dr. Rohit Shrestha.

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Doctors attending the two-day ERTC training of trainers in Jammu. ©ICRC, Arshid Amin Khan

 

In Jammu, four specialists facilitated a training attended by 20 doctors which offered an opportunity to the new trainers to further polish their skills.

“The beauty of this course lies in its methodology – which is based on a participatory way of training. As an ERTC trainer we stress on following a certain protocol while examining patients. This way, chances of missing potential life-threatening injuries are minimised,” said Dr. Kailash Singh, Surgeon at Government Medical College Jammu. Following this, in Srinagar as well, trained doctors conducted their first initial trauma management course for 32 specialist doctors.

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Doctors participate in the capacity building trainings in Srinagar. ©ICRC, Arshid Amin Khan

 

Dr. Manzoor, one of the participants, elaborated on the multiplier effect of these training. He said, “The drills we underwent have kindled a passion among us to impart these skills to our fellow colleagues and medical students.” Another participant, Dr. Firdous who works in Anantnag District Hospital, said, “The training reinforced the importance of following basic principles while dealing with emergencies. Another important lesson I learnt was how to deliver training and adapt according to the level of the participants.”

The ICRC and Jammu and Kashmir health services have been collaborating since 2011 in the area of emergency response, including pre-hospital to extensive care at the hospital emergency room.