JIPMER Inaugurates International Summit on Advanced Trauma Care 2026

Chennai: Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, hosted the International Summit on Advanced Trauma Care (ISATC-2026) from 4th to 8th February 2026. The formal inauguration of the summit was held on 7th February 2026 at 9.15 am at the Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Auditorium, JIPMER campus.

The summit was inaugurated by Thiru K. Kailashnathan, Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry, in the presence of Dr. Vir Singh Negi, Director, JIPMER, Prof. M.C. Mishra, National Chair, ATLS India and former Director, AIIMS New Delhi, and Dr. Mayur Narayan, Education Program Chair, American College of Surgeons (ACS). Senior officials, faculty members, national and international experts, trauma specialists, nurses, emergency responders, residents, and students attended the event.

Addressing the gathering, the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor highlighted that trauma is a major public health, economic, and social challenge, particularly affecting the young and economically productive population. He underscored that India accounts for a disproportionately high number of global road traffic deaths and emphasized the urgent need for system-based trauma care, prevention strategies, and trained first responders. He stressed the importance of basic life support (BLS) training for citizens and structured trauma education at the undergraduate level, noting that timely intervention during the “golden hour” remains critical in saving lives, the PIB stated.

The Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor also noted the growing trauma burden in Puducherry, particularly due to road traffic accidents, and appreciated JIPMER’s pivotal role as a tertiary referral centre handling a high volume of emergency cases on a daily basis. He announced the Government of Puducherry’s commitment to provide 50 acres of land for the establishment of a state-of-the-art Trauma Care Centre and Organ Transplant Unit, which would significantly strengthen regional trauma preparedness and advanced emergency care services.

Dr. Vir Singh Negi, Director, JIPMER, in his address, emphasized that trauma care requires not only infrastructure but also multidisciplinary collaboration, advanced training, innovation, and teamwork. He highlighted JIPMER’s ongoing efforts to upgrade emergency and trauma services to global standards and reiterated the institute’s commitment to developing a Centre for Trauma Care and Rehabilitation. He noted that ISATC–2026 reflects JIPMER’s vision to integrate education, technology, and system-level preparedness to reduce trauma-related mortality, disability, and socioeconomic burden.

Prof. M.C. Mishra highlighted that injuries constitute one of the leading causes of loss of productive life years, exceeding those due to cancer and heart disease combined. He emphasized that trauma is largely preventable and stressed the dual responsibility of trauma care providers as clinicians and advocates of injury prevention. He appreciated JIPMER’s role as a high-volume centre capable of capacity building and training healthcare professionals from across the country, and welcomed the proposal for a comprehensive trauma centre in Puducherry as a major step toward strengthening national trauma systems.

Dr. Mayur Narayan, representing the American College of Surgeons, highlighted the global importance of structured trauma education and team-based care. He emphasized that India has the potential to emerge as a global leader in trauma care education, research, and service delivery. He lauded JIPMER for launching the Trauma Evaluation and Management (TEAM) course, aimed at equipping medical graduates with essential trauma care competencies, and noted that such initiatives would significantly improve trauma outcomes across diverse healthcare settings.

ISATC–2026 was structured around a three-pronged approach. The first focused on advanced trauma education and professional skill enhancement. JIPMER, one of the few centres in the country accredited by the American College of Surgeons to conduct Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) and Advanced Trauma Care for Nurses (ATCN) courses, further strengthened trauma education through the launch of the TEAM course, promoting standardized, team-based trauma management.

Pre-conference workshops held from 4th to 6th February 2026 emphasized hands-on training, simulation-based learning, damage control strategies, and multidisciplinary trauma management, equipping healthcare professionals with contemporary skills for managing complex trauma cases.

The second dimension addressed road safety and injury prevention, recognizing trauma as a preventable public health challenge. In this context, JAI-HO (JIPMER Accident and Injuries Halting Objective), a year-long public awareness initiative, was launched to promote road safety and responsible behaviour through community outreach, student-led campaigns, and public engagement activities. As part of this initiative, a road safety walkathon will organise on 8th February 2026 at Puducherry Beach, inaugurate by Dr. Rachna Singh, IPS, Superintendent of Police, encouraging community participation in injury prevention.

The third dimension focused on strengthening pre-hospital trauma response. Recognizing that police personnel, auto drivers, firefighters, and bystanders are often the first responders, JIPMER launched PRATH-AM (Primary Response when Accident and Trauma Happens – Acute Management), a structured training programme aimed at imparting basic life support, haemorrhage control, immobilisation, and safe patient transfer skills, particularly during the critical golden hour.

With the sustained rise in trauma cases presenting to JIPMER, the summit also highlighted the urgent need for establishing a Level-1 Trauma Centre in Puducherry, capable of providing comprehensive, round-the-clock advanced trauma care, rehabilitation services, and training.

ISATC–2026 served as a comprehensive platform integrating advanced trauma education, injury prevention, first-responder capacity building, and system-level strengthening, reaffirming JIPMER’s commitment to excellence in trauma care, education, and public health preparedness at regional, national, and international levels.