Pune-Mumbai e-way trauma centre saves 160 lives in five months

The trauma care centre which started operation in September last year on the Pune Mumbai expressway has saved as many as 160 lives in the last five months, according to Dr Suyog Gurav, project director, Trauma care centre, Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC).

The centre which has all the modern medical equipment to help accident victims is located near the Ozarde toll naka on the expressway behind the food mall.

Dr Gurav, said, “A total of 182 accident victims were brought to the centre from September 2019 to January 2020, out of which 12 were either brought dead or lost their lives while undergoing treatment and lives of 160 patients were saved.”

“The centre runs round the clock and is fully equipped with various medical facilities to give emergency medical treatment to injured victims or person in distress,” said Dr Gaurav.

Dr Samadhan Pardeshi, incharge of the day shift, said, “Once an accident victim is brought to the centre he/she is taken to the emergency room. The patient’s pulse, cautiousness, general condition, breathing, bleeding or wounds are checked. Accordingly, treatment is initiated.”

Since 2012 the infrastructure of the trauma care centre on the e-way was in place, but as there was no one to operate the centre it was lying vacant. It was inaugurated on September 8, 2019, and the operations are now run by the Pawana Medical Foundation and SG Diagnostic Labs, said officials of the centre.

According to officials of the centre, two doctors are working in two shifts (7 am to 7pm and 7pm to 7am), while three medical assistance work in three shifts. Other than that there are administration and security staff. While there are four ambulances with the centre, three of them stationed at three different locations on the e-way for emergency help and one for picking-up the bodies.

Other than that there is a procedure room where critical cases are treated. Other facilities at the centre include counselling room, plaster room, one special room, four wheelchairs, a moving stretcher, a centralised oxygen line providing oxygen to each of the rooms, two mobile oxygen cylinders and a staff room, said officials.

Tanmay Pendse, who lost his brother Akshay Pendse in an e-way accident seven years ago has been taking efforts to bring safety on the e-way. He said, “Trauma care unit playas a vital role of saving lives of victims on the expressway. The stake holders should make sure that trauma care is in place on the highways.” “A trauma centre, like the one located near the Ozarde toll naka, should come introduced on the Mumbai side of the expressway also. It will help save many lives,” said Pendse.