Media Release
Bengaluru, Mar 20: In an effort to shine a light on the often overlooked issue of head injuries, the team at St John's Medical College Hospital's surgical and neuro intensive care unit on occasion of World Head Injury Day organised a series of events, on March 19 and 20.
"Restoring Lives, One Patient at a Time" - doctors, nurses, and nurse practitioners joined hands to echo this theme in a concerted effort to shed light on the critical issue of head injuries.
A creative array of poster competitions, skits, and mime acts that artfully depicted the grave consequences of neglecting road safety and the paramount importance of adhering to government-led initiatives aimed at preventing such injuries were undertaken on March 19. The event on March 19 utilised the universal languages of art and drama, in order to reach out to the common man.
The journey of head injury patients, from the moment of trauma to the intricate process of recovery within hospital walls, thereby emphasising the crucial role of immediate and skilled medical intervention was demonstrated with several examples.
The real stories of people who have suffered head injuries and their real life challenges as narrated and related to by them was certainly heart rending. The hospital team explained how these patients are cared for and how every effort is made to help them recover. It reminded all that accidents can happen to anyone and anywhere, but with quick and expert care, recovery is possible.
The highlight of the campaign was the CME on March 20, which ensured the infusion of expert knowledge to this event through talks by internationally renowned figures in head injury management - Prof. Menon from the UK and Prof. Uma Maheshwar Rao (retd), from NIMHANS.
Their insights on tailoring therapy to individual needs in traumatic brain injury cases and the invaluable learnings from decades of clinical experience added a layer of profound academic and practical wisdom to the proceedings. Based on this CME meeting, there was an emphasis on a call for everyone to take action towards a pledge for road safety.
There has been a suggestion by the experts in the CME on March 20 to ensure that authorities establish policy to address lacunae in ways to improve head injury management, starting from policy to ensure timely referral, to assisting needy patients for reducing economic burden that can contribute to complications due to late intervention.
This initiative by St. John's Hospital is a big step in the right direction. It shows how when doctors, nurses, and the community come together, they can make a real difference to advocate change. After all, a simple helmet, a little caution, and respect for traffic rules can save lives and keep families whole.