Thaindian News

New Delhi, March 7 (IANS) Aiming to save as many road accident victims in the capital as possible, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) is training the staff of police control room (PCR) vans in basic life-support skills.
The initiative, by NGO Savelife Foundation, began Feb 23 and over the next eight weeks will train around 2,000 PCR staff in life-saving skills. The training sessions are being conducted under the guidance of trauma specialists in AIIMS.

“PCR vans always reach first at the scene of road accidents and act as the largest ambulance service in the city. We found that more emergency victims are brought in by PCR vans than by any other means. We thought that well-trained PCR staff can significantly enhance the chances of a victim’s survival,” NGO founder Piyush Tewari said at a training session at the AIIMS Saturday.

The sessions focus on how to sustain and safely transport a critically injured victim with skill and confidence.

“If the PCR staff is trained in handling an accident victim, it can avoid secondary damages to the victim. We are training them on how to lift a patient, stopping external bleeding, make airways possible in case of a head injury and other basic facts that can help in saving the life of an injured person,” said N.C Mishra, head of the AIIMS Trauma Centre.

There are 650 PCR vans in the national capital. They rushed more than 17,000 people injured in road accidents to hospitals last year.

Nearly 2,000 people died in road accidents in the capital last year.

“Our effort is to train all the PCR staff in life-support skills before the Commonwealth Games 2010 (to be held in New Delhi). We thank Delhi Police for their enthusiasm in providing this critical training to the PCR staff,” said Tewari.