Maruti Suzuki launches First Responder Training Programme in asssociation with AIIMS

Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) has partnered with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and the International Road Federation (IRF) for its latest road safety initiative. The First Responder Training Programmeis aimedat trainingfirst responders in emergency care needed to assist road accident victims during the golden hour in the event of a road incident. The golden hour in an accident is the critical period immediately following a traumatic injury. Effective medical intervention during this time window can reduce complications, minimise organ damage, and increase the chances of the accident victim’s survival.The programme’s primary target group is commercial drivers.

In the pilot phase, 8,500 participants, primarily commercial drivers, received first aid and trauma care training at MSIL’s Institute of Driving and Traffic Research (IDTR) in Delhi, Haryana, and Bihar.The session was conductedin collaboration with the Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Center - AIIMS, New Delhi. It equipped the participants with the knowledge and practical skillsrequiredto assist road accident victims during the golden hour.The First Responder Training Programme provides training for critical life-saving techniques like cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), controlling bleeding, the correct way of helmet removal,usage ofsplint & sling, moving victims safely, andhow to activateemergency response systems.

Sharing his thoughts on trauma care, Dr Amit Gupta, Professor of Trauma Surgery and Critical Care at Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Center - AIIMS, New Delhi, said, “In the absence of robust trauma care systems, there is an urgent need to train bystanders in basic trauma and first aid. As trauma is time-sensitive, the training of bystanders, who are the real first responders to any road accident, can go a long way in reducing the mortality and morbidity following road traffic crashes. Usually, this group of bystanders includes drivers of commercial vehicles. To standardise first-aid modules and training, the WHO, along with the experts from AIIMS and other major institutions of the country, have devised a first-aid course for the bystanders. We used these modules for training at the Maruti Suzuki IDTRs, and it got a lot of positive feedback from the stakeholders.”

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To this, Rahul Bharti, Executive Officer, Corporate Affairs, Maruti Suzuki India Limited, added, “According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways of India’s (MoRTH) Road Accidents in India 2022 report, Vulnerable Road Users (VRUs) or Pedestrians, Bicyclists and Two-Wheeler riders constituted 66.9% of road accident fatalities during the year. Our customised programme provides practical, hands-onlife-savinginterventions to enable drivers to handle trauma and injuries.It couldprove to be effective in reducingroad accident fatalities, particularly of VRUs under the Good Samaritan Law.”