'Medical aid in golden hour can check accident mortalities'

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh reports nearly 23,000 deaths annually due to road accidents and half of these fatalities can be prevented if medical help is provided within the first hour of the incident, commonly known as the 'golden hour', according to medical experts.

A joint workshop was held on Friday by the King George's Medical University (KGMU), Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences (RMLIMS), and the Society of Acute Care Trauma and Emergency Medicine (SACTEM) to highlight the importance of 'golden hour'.

President, SACTEM, Dr Lokendra Gupta said that many road accident deaths were preventable if victims were provided basic medical assistance without delay. "It is important to provide primary care such as stabilising the neck and spine, clearing the airway, and transporting the patient to the nearest hospital," he said.

Dr Gupta also discussed the need for rapid response in cases of stroke and heart attack. "India records over 18 lakh stroke cases annually, and timely treatment within 3-4 hours can reduce mortality by 40%. Similarly, in heart attack cases, immediate CPR and defibrillation within the first 10 minutes can significantly improve survival chances," he said.

He acknowledged the efforts made by the govt, including the role of the 108 ambulance service, but said that ensuring that patients receive treatment within golden hour was still a challenge in many parts of the country.

Co-chair of the workshop, Dr SS Tripathi, head of emergency medicine at RMLIMS, underlined the need to strengthen trauma care at the community and primary health centre levels.

He added that delays in recognising emergency symptoms and lack of trained personnel often result in avoidable deaths. Around 350 doctors from govt and private hospitals received training in emergency response and trauma management.