Hyderabad-based Global Hospitals has opened a state-of-the-art Institute for Neurosciences, Trauma and Orthopedics (INTO) in the city on February 4th. INTO, with an investment of Rs.6 crore, is equipped with world class laboratories and blood bank facilities, and would provide cost-effective and high quality care round the clock, according to Dr K Ravindranath, managing director.

The institute has a 50-bed capacity and a network of ambulances and paramedical staff. The INTO will also tie up with the state government to provide emergency care to road accident victims along the 100-km stretch of the Hyderabad-Mumbai national highway under the proposed Andhra Pradesh Emergency Network.

The institute has sophisticated ambulances equipped with trained paramedics and they would be deployed to rush to the aid of the victims within the first hour. Timely provision of medical aid would make a lot of difference in the case of road accidents. Apart from the specialist trauma care wing, the institute has wings for neurosciences and orthopedics. arthroscopic, spinal and polio, plastic and reconstructive and facio maxillary surgeries, and backache care would also be undertaken at the new facility, Ravindranath said.

Global's new facility is also the first in the state to employ a qualified epileptologist, Dr Zaffer Shah Nawaz, who specializes in seizure disorders.

According to an estimate, over 8000 people die in road accidents every year in Andhra Pradesh and 85 per cent of the victims are rushed to hospital without being given first aid.