A routine journey can turn into a life-changing tragedy within seconds, making road accidents one of India’s most pressing public safety challenges. While better roads and expanding infrastructure have transformed mobility, they have not made travel safer for everyone. India loses nearly 1.68 lakh people every year in road accidents, or about 19 deaths every hour, highlighting the urgent need to strengthen trauma care, improve emergency response and raise public awareness to reduce preventable deaths.
Telangana reflects the same challenge, ranking ninth in the country in road accident fatalities. The state records nearly 25,000 road accidents and around 8,000 deaths every year, with young people accounting for a majority of the victims. Road accident fatalities have increased from about 30% to 35%, pointing to the growing severity of crashes in the state.
Seeking to strengthen trauma care training, emergency preparedness and public awareness across Telangana, leading doctors launched the Hyderabad Chapter of International Trauma Care (ITC) in Hyderabad. Dr. Manas Panigrahi, Senior Neurosurgeon at KIMS Hospitals, assumed charge as President, while Dr. Ashima Sharma, Senior Professor of Emergency Medicine at Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences, took over as Secretary of the newly formed chapter.
Founded in 1988 by Dr. Martin Issac, ITC is a multidisciplinary body that works to reduce trauma-related deaths and disabilities through its Comprehensive Trauma Life Support (CTLS) programme, focusing on prevention, emergency response, treatment and rehabilitation.
The Hyderabad Chapter will conduct CTLS training, Continuing Medical Education (CME) programmes and awareness campaigns involving schools, colleges, police and other stakeholders across Telangana to strengthen trauma care and emergency response.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Manas Panigrahi said, “The rising number of severe head injuries and preventable deaths calls for faster access to appropriate trauma care.” Dr. Ashima Sharma added, “Trauma awareness and first-response education should reach every section of society so that citizens can respond effectively during emergencies.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Chandrasekhar, Secretary of National ITC and former Professor of Anaesthesiology at Osmania General Hospital, noted that the organisation would work to strengthen Telangana’s trauma care ecosystem through training, public awareness and institutional collaboration.
Doctors expressed concern over distracted driving and walking due to mobile phone use, calling it a major cause of road accidents. They also highlighted red-light violations and emerging urban risks such as vehicles falling from flyovers. Stressing that trauma can affect anyone at any time, they called for trauma care awareness and basic first-response training to become part of everyday public preparedness rather than remain confined to medical professionals.
As part of its long-term vision, ITC plans to establish District Trauma Skill Centres and Integrated Trauma Care Centres across Telangana to strengthen prevention, emergency response, treatment, rehabilitation, education and research. It also aims to make trauma care an essential competency for healthcare professionals and frontline personnel while promoting basic trauma response training for citizens in partnership with the Telangana government and healthcare institutions.
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