The Tamil Nadu Government has decided to set up five trauma centres on National Highways, in view of increased road accidents, according to Dr C Ravindranath, Director of Medical Education. It is not clear when the same would be commissioned.

The centres would come up at Sriperumbadur, Perambalur, Chengelput, Madurai and Villupuram The centres will cost Rs 1.5 crore each, according to Dr.Ravindranath, stating further that the Centre has been approached for financial assistance.

These centres would have 24-hour emergency treatment, X-Ray and other facilities, he said.

These trauma centres are in addition to the trauma care centres that would be set up by Apollo Hospitals and Madras Medical Mission (MMC). It can be recalled in this context Apollo Hospitals and Madras Medical Mission (MMM) respectively inked agreements with the Tamil Nadu Road Development Corporation (TNRDC) in February to set up trauma care centers on the East Coast Road, the newly laid out national highway between Chennai and Cuddalore. While Apollo Hospitals stated it would set up its proposed trauma care centre at Uthandi in between the Chennai and Mahabalipuram stretch of the highway, MMM is to set up its trauma care centre near Pondicherry.

The two hospital giants inked the agreement after the TNRDC came out with its proposal to provide medical and insurance cover to the users of the highway keeping in line with the similar process in the West where users of highway are given medical and insurance cover. The corporation had invited Expressions of Interest (EOI) for setting up trauma care centers.