New Delhi, Aug 20 (IANS): The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) administration is mulling over starting an AIIMS trauma centre for non-Covid patients in a phased manner as the daily fresh Covid caseload has substantially decreased in the national capital. Declaring the centre dedicated for Covid-19 treatment in March 2020, the trauma facilities were shifted to the main AIIMS building.
The Resident Doctors Association (RDA) had written several times to the AIIMS administration to start the trauma service as the Covid caseload has decreased now. In a recently held meeting with the RDA, it has been proposed to start the trauma centre for non-Covid patients in a phased manner.
However, the AIIMS RDA has raised objections over the phased manner plan for the trauma centre. An RDA official told IANS that they are receiving as many traumatic patients as during pre-Covid times. They have provided us just two to three wards to start the service which is not enough to handle all patients, said the RDA officials.
"In a recent general body meeting held by AIIMS administration, it was decided to allocate some general wards at Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre (JPNATC) to cater to trauma patients. Emergency, Operative and ICU are three pillars of trauma care. Unavailability of these will result in an increase in preventable deaths. AIIMS administration in a recent decision has, however, denied the availability of emergency, ICU and operative care services to trauma victims at JPNATC" the RDA official said.
The RDA says that the issues regarding trauma care prevalent at Main AIIMS such as delays in emergency operative intervention, transfer out of moderate to severe injury patients, etc, will remain the same.
The official said during pre-Covid times there were total 264 beds, including 38 ICU beds at the Jai Prakash Narayan Trauma Centre; post-Covid it has been decreased to 95 beds, including 18 ICU beds. "Several buildings at AIMMS are fully unoccupied during the pandemic times where Covid services can be started", said the RDA officials.
The RDA official said the RDA has requested AIIMS administration to restore trauma facilities at JPNATC in total.