Bombay Hospital and National Counter Terrorism Trauma Care (NCTTC), recently hosted a seminar on ‘A Step Forward in Trauma Care’ (Combined Civil Military Trauma Care in India’ at the hospital. The seminar was held in association with Indian Medical Association (IMA).

Though handling trauma is only a part of counter terrorism planning and combat but it is also very important as it is saving precious human life. NCTTC has held two symposiums in the past two years.

The NCTTC was formed with a mission of creating training centres for mass disasters throughout the country.

Experts who gathered were Patang Rao Kadam, minister for Rehabilitation, Jayant Kumar Banthia, chief secretary Maharshtra Government, Dr B K Goyal, a well known cardiac physician, Meena Kumar, head of Trauma Sion Hospital, Dr Nirmala Kannan, Head of Naval Hospital, among others. These experts discussed various issues related to effective management of medical relief operations in the event of terror, disaster or any other such eventuality in the national perspective.

Dr M M Begani, associate professor at Bombay Hospital and founder president and chief promoter- NCTTC, has the unique distinction of handing counter terror trauma operations as a general surgeon from last so many years. He shared his pain that many big hospitals are not having trauma experts. He also expressed how this kind of symposium should be taken very seriously by the top people sitting at the centre and state government handling disaster management. Recommendations and suggestions coming out of these forums should be weighed and taken into consideration.

Jayant Banthia, chief secretary Maharshtra Government, told that the government is much better prepared now to handle terror situation as it geared up its counter terrorism machinery based on the past experience. He also acknowledged the role of private hospitals in assisting government authorities in the event of terror acts.

Dr BK Goyal, eminent cardiac consultant, said that the first and the foremost responsibility of the medical community in the event of terror act is to save life of the victims. He also shared his past experience as head of private hospital in such events that the doctors of such hospitals worked in operation theaters for days together.

Dr Ashok Gupta, one of the most prominent plastic surgeon in the country, also emphasised need for better coordination in the medical system to handle trauma patients. He is fighting for introducing a bill on making acid or chemical throwing on girls more serious offence.

The NCTTC & Bombay Hospital is organising a public awareness programme on November 24, 2012 at the Birla Matoshree Sabhagrah at the hospital on the theme ‘Role of Public in Disaster Management’ for general public. This would be followed by a basic hands-on training course in CPR and basic life support which would be free to all.