Hyderabad: Injury prevention awareness drive on

Koti: Traumatic brain injuries and spinal injuries are major causes of death and disability in India and across the world. However, despite an increasing burden, injury prevention remains a highly neglected and underestimated intervention.

The apex body of spinal surgeons in India is undertaking a major country-wide initiative including in Hyderabad to address this neglected burden by educating, training and empowering people in preventing injuries.

The Association of Spinal Surgeons of India (ASSI) announced the launch of a country wide Injuries Prevention Awareness Program that will work towards raising awareness about injury prevention and a spine-healthy lifestyle to reduce injury-related disabilities and trauma. ASSI is partnering 1000 institutions including schools, colleges, organizations and industry bodies across India to further the programme.

The year-long campaign will be conducted across more than 20 cities, with Hyderabad among the key target cities. An estimated 50 schools, colleges and other institutions will be part of the campaign in Hyderabad. Sensitising policy makers and enforcement agencies towards implementing effective injury prevention strategies will be another key element of the campaign.

"Injuries are one of the most neglected health crisis in the world. Head and Spine injuries are a major cause of death and disability worldwide including India. However, prevention of brain and spinal injuries is hardly given any priority.

Community-based prevention programs can be a highly cost-effective way to reduce the burden of injuries. To address the lack of primary prevention efforts, ASSI is undertaking a major nationwide campaign that will help create more awareness about improving safety, behavioural changes and adopting spine-healthy lifestyles.

The campaign aims to reach 10,00,000 people over this year through multiple initiatives across schools, colleges, institutions and organizations," according to Dr H S Chhabra, President, ASSI and Chief of Spine Services at Indian Spinal Injuries Centre.

Estimates suggest that one million people die and 20 million are hospitalized every year due to injuries in India. The financial cost of injuries is estimated to be between 0.29% & 0.69% of the Indian GDP, making it an enormous burden.However, a large number ofincidents resulting in musculoskeletal injury, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Spinal Cord Injury SCI are preventable as well. Notably, oft neglected conditions such as osteoporosis are also responsible for a significant burden of injuries particularly among the elderly.

Under the program, ASSI is tying up with multiple societies across the country to create an army of trainers who in turn will undertake training and awareness sessions on injury prevention across multiple organizations, schools, colleges and Universities.