Health workers’ emergency response capabilities are being boosted as 22 persons are currently being briefed in trauma training. This course was implemented in October 2006, and to date, 76 persons have been trained, including doctors, nurses, medical examiners and attendants.

Dr. Prashad lectures to medical personnel participating in the trauma training.

The Trauma Team Training course, established by the Ministry of Health’s Regional Health Services in partnership with the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), is a three-day programme which consists of lectures, skills sessions and team exercises.

The training is being administered by a group of facilitators from various emergency units at the GPHC, spearheaded by Trauma Training Coordinator Dr. Chris Prashad, Minister within the Ministry of Health Dr. Bheri Ramsaran, and Director of Regional Health Services Dr. Madan Rambarran.

Minister Ramsaran said this initiative seeks to regulate approaches to emergency responses and effectively improve the chances of a patient’s survival, since many casualties that should not have occurred have often been reported because of poor emergency administration.

Minister Ramsaran said that he is very confident that the training will continue to enhance the performance of medical workers, as has been experienced in previous years, when it relates to assisting in ambulance services and medical airlift evacuations.

Dr. Prashad explained that the programme is designed to teach a team-approach to the assessment, management and transfer of the trauma victim, since trauma is a major area of demand in every aspect of health care and delivery.

Instructors at Saturday’s workshop were Dr. Madan Rambarran, Dr. Cheetanand Mahadeo, Dr. Ravi Motilall, Dr. Kaleshwar Ramcharran, Dr. Roy Samlall and Dr. Bob Ramnauth. Also present were President of the Canadian Network for International Surgery (CNIS) and researcher, Julia Pemberton.