ACLS/EMS A structured Emergency Medical Services (EMS) System is
essential in any community for delivery of effective Emergency Cardiovascular
Care (ECC) in order to reduce the mortality and morbidity of those who suffer
sudden and often life threatening events affecting the Cardiovascular,
Cerebrovascular and Pulmonary systems.
Whether these emergencies occur outside or inside the hospitals,
recognition of early warning signs of heart attack, stroke and provision of
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Basic Life Support (BLS) is of
paramount importance followed by early defibrillation if indicated and Advanced
Cardiac life Support (ACLS). It would be useful to have appropriate
CPR-BLS-ACLS Labs and equipment and trained personnel to administer life saving
skills in such emergencies to affect the outcomes favorably at our teaching
institutions in particular and other hospitals in our metropolitan cities in
general.
It is common knowledge that the mortality rate during the first hour
in cardiovascular emergencies as well as in trauma due to automobile accidents
is extremely high in most cities in India. We are enlisting the support of Dr.
S. Balasubramaniam of AAPI in bringing ATLS, Paramedic Training and EMS System
to Hyderabad.
Osmania University Medical Alumni Association of America recently
sponsored Advanced Cardiac life Support courses at Hyderabad, Warangal and
Karimnagar.
The ACLS Team was led by: Dr. Ravinder R. Surakanti,Program Director,
Dr. Joseph A. Florence, IV, Lead Instructor, Mrs. Suzanne Price, RN, and
included local Faculty, Dr. P. Maheshwar Reddy, Dr. Mohd. Samiuddin, Dr. (Capt)
S. V. Krishna Rao and various members of faculty at Osmania, Gandhi and
Kakatiya Medical Colleges. Conducted comprehensive three day ACLS Courses at
MGM Hospital, Warangal on 11, 12, 13th of March, and at Osmania Medical
College, Hyderabad on 15, 16, 17th March. Both courses were full and attended
by 48 physicians at each venue and were well received.
All the manikins, teaching aids, books, monitor defibrillators,
rhythm simulators, etc. used for the courses, donated by Anonymous Donor, DUMA,
Osmania Charitable Foundation, Inc. and Surakanti Malla Reddy Memorial Trust,
were handed over to local alumni associations and principals at Osmania, Gandhi
and Kakatiya Medical Colleges to help establish their independent ACLS Labs,
teaching, training program for future use.
A short PALS Overview course was conducted at Niloufer Hospital on
March 10th was well attended and received by postgraduates and attending
physicians. Another BLS/CPR/ACLS Overview session for half a day, on March
18th, was conducted at a brand new Prathima Institute of Medical Sciences in
Karimnagar, a was extremely well attended and received by over 150 physicians,
nurses and medical students.
In the year 2001-2002, OUMA had co-sponsored successful comprehensive
ACLS Courses at Hyderabad (29th-31st, Dec.) with Mediciti Hospitals, at
Trivandrum (5th-7th, Jan.) with Kerala Institute of Medical Sciences and ACLS
Overview courses at Kurnool Medical College (2nd, Jan.), Gandhi Hospital (11th,
Jan.), Kakatiya Medical College (13th, May) and Osmania General Hospital (20th,
May). These programs were endorsed by AAPI. The Volunteer Faculty included Dr.
Ramon S. Dunkin of Indianapolis, Dr. Joseph A. Florence of Kentucky, EMT
Paramedics and RN's (ACLS Instructors) and OUMA members, Dr. K. Rajasekhar, Dr.
EV "Raj" Sunderrajan, Dr. Surender Vuthoori, Dr. Damodar K. Reddy, Dr. Devender
S. Reddy and local alumni Dr. K. Hari Prasad, Dr. R. Vijai Kumar, Dr. Sunil
Kumar, Dr. P. Maheshwar Reddy and faculty at sponsoring institutions and
distinguished OUMA alumni Dr. P. S. Reddy and Dr. Kalpalatha K.Guntupalli at
different ACLS Courses in India from 1998 through 2003. Overall about five
hundred physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists have attended these courses
in different cities in India during the past five years.
We need your support to make these ongoing programs a success story.
You may volunteer to be on the faculty and/or sponsor future ACLS programs.
