Heads Up!

Photo: Joe Athialy

HEADS UP!

India has the highest incidence of head injuries in the world, with essentially no infrastructure for rapid response and treatment. The Indian Head Injury Foundation (IHIF) was founded to help remedy this largely preventable crisis. Founded by HH Maharaja Gajsingh II of Marwar-Jodhpur in 2007, IHIF’s mission is to build a comprehensive system in India for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of traumatic brain injury (TBI), and to provide neuro-rehabilitation to such patients.

INDIAN

HEAD INJURY FOUND UNDA AT ION

STAGG ERING STAT ISTIC S Every day, men, women and chil-

A RAY OF HOPE For the Prevention and Treatment of Brain and Spinal Injuries

dren suffer head injuries. A trip or fall, a car accident, a sports injury – these everyday injuries can range in severity and can produce persistent problems that significantly affect the livelihood and well-being of millions around the globe.

• India has the highest incidence of head injuries in the world; more than 100,000 lives are lost every year with over 1 million suffering from serious head injuries.

• In India 1 out of 6 trauma victims die, while in the USA this figure is 1 out of 200.

All too often in our everyday lives we rush through the day which seems to be filled with only sad and depressing news – then all of a sudden an incident occurs which gives us that magical “Ray of Hope.” Such was the case in the fairytale wedding of my son Yuvraj Shivraj Singh with Princess Gayatri Kumari (pictured at right).

Yuvraj Singh Singh had suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in 2005, five years ago – and on the 18th of November 2010, five years later – he was happily married!

Most of the credit for this goes to his indomitable spirit and extremely strong and persevering nature that kept him going against all odds, with the loving care and solid support of his parents, sister, family and caretakers.

• Many head injuries are due to sporting accidents.

However, he received a “special advantage,” in that his family was able to avail for him the timely benefits of proper Brain Trauma care, excellent Rehabilitation Facilities and the expertise of dedicated and capable specialist Therapists, which all helped to first properly diagnose and then provide the professional care required for him to firmly focus on his rehabilitation process. All this carefully coordinated input helped him on his long and arduous journey towards a remarkable recovery from his near fatal polo accident to a most happy and successful outcome that has resulted in his joyful wedding.

• Most neurotrauma occurs due to road accidents.

• 95% of trauma victims in India do not receive optimal care during

So let us rejoice in this “Ray of Hope” and make every endeavour to try and make this “special advantage” available to as many people as possible in all the different parts of our country through the valiant efforts of the Indian Head Injury Foundation!

the “golden hour” – that’s the period immediately after an injury is sustained, in which health care administration is critical.

• Most of the victims are in the age group of 18 to 45 years and represent the most economically active segment of society.

His Highness Maharaja Gajsingh II of Marwar-Jodhpur

HEADS UP! CAMPAIGN FACT 1 In India, one of the most common causes of traumatic brain injury is road traffic accidents.

FACT 2 Indian roads witness one accident every minute and one death in road mishaps every 4.5 minutes.

FACT 3 About 120,000 people die on the road in India every year.

FACT 4 Shockingly, pedestrians represent the most affected by head injuries as part of road traffic accidents.

FACT 5 If motorcyclists and their women and children wore helmets, if automobile drivers and passengers wore seat belts, and if pedestrians were more careful when they were walking on roads and highways, the problem of serious head injury would be reduced significantly and countless lives would be saved.

The Heads Up! campaign is an important new IHIF initiative aimed at creating awareness about head injury with the intent to help prevent it by using seatbelts, wearing helmets and encouraging pedestrians to “look” before they walk.

The campaign will involve multi-media exposure, including billboards, television and radio ads, newspaper and magazine ads, and flyers for corporations to distribute to their employees and their employees’ families.

The first phase will focus on road traffic accidents because the problem is so significant. Phase II will focus on other types of activities associated with head injury, such as sporting accidents, a trip or a fall and other assorted problems.

I ND IAN H E A D INJ U RY F O U ND AT ION ( IH IF ) Prevention – First Responders – Diagnosis – Treatment – Rehabilitation

The mission of IHIF is to build a comprehensive system for the prevention and treatment of brain trauma in India, with particular emphasis on patients suffering from brain injury due to accidents, and to provide rehabilitation to such patients. In collaboration with the Brain Trauma Foundation, USA, IHIF envisages providing education, information and services on life-saving medical protocols throughout India.

I NI T IAT IV E S Educational Activities Four types of educational activities are currently conducted by IHIF: • Primary Trauma Care Courses (PTC) • Disaster Management Exercises • Neuro-Critical Care Workshops • Neuro-rehabilitation Workshops To date, IHIF has conducted 21 Primary Trauma Care (PTC) courses for doctors, nurses and paramedics in Delhi, Mumbai, Jodhpur, Himachal Pradesh and Bangalore. IHIF has also led life-saving courses in schools and

for health workers involved with the care of street children in Delhi.

IHIF has also held two International Neuro-critical care courses and hosted the first International Neuro-Rehabilitation workshop in New Delhi.

Emergency Medical Services Critical Trauma Ambulance: The IHIF launched the first of its kind critical trauma ambulances in Jodhpur at Rajdadisa Hospital on 12th January, 2009. Two ambulances were launched that day. Each of these costs around Rupees 12-14 lakh or about £ 17000 each.

Neuro Rehabilitation Ambulance: The IHIF launched a neuro rehab ambulance on the occasion of the 1st International Workshop on ‘Neuro Rehabilitation after traumatic Brain Injury’ held in August, 2009 in New Delhi.

Yuvraj Shivraj Singh Trauma Rehabilitation Centre Launched January 13, 2011 One of the most important strides made in the fight against brain trauma is the establishment of the state-of-the-art Yuvraj Shivraj Singh Trauma Rehabilitation Centre at Rajdadisa Hospital in Jodhpur.

The Rehabilitation Centre was funded

by The Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts Foundation.

The mission of the new Centre is to provide state of the art comprehensive trauma care services to all severely injured patients right from the ambulance through to the trauma centre emergency room. Expert trauma care is defined by the immediate availability of specialized surgeons, physicians, anesthesiologists, nurses, and life support equipment on a 24-hour basis.

There are two major areas of concentration at the rehabilitation centre – preventive steps and curative medicine.

Preventative care includes trauma

prevention task forces, lobbies for change and public awareness campaigns, and medical research and documentation. Curative programs include victim’s support groups, the hospital’s integrated rehabilitation approach, and a community health assistant program.

Pediatric Unit was held by HH Maharaja Gaj Singh II, at the Delhi Commonwealth Women’s Association Medical Center at, Zamrudpur, New Delhi. A free health check-up and rehabilitation camp was also organised for which nearly 300 patients from surrounding areas came.

His Highness visited the camp, examined all the facilities at the day care medical centre which has 45 visiting doctors. These services provided by DCWA are highly subsidized and, in most cases, free.

HH Maharaja of Jodhpur Gajsingh II at the inauguration of new DCWA IHIF NeuroRehabilitation Centre in New Delhi

CO NSULTIN G P HYSICIAN S Dr Rajendra Prasad

Dr Tarun Sahni

Senior Consultant Neurosurgeon and Spine

Senior Consulting Physician, Indraprastha Apollo

Surgeon, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals and

Hospitals, New Delhi

Executive Director, Head Injury Foundation

Dr Lawrence W Gernon Yuvraj Shivraj Singh Trauma Rehabilitation Centre at Rajdadisa Hospital in Jodhpur

Dr Robert Bristow, MD, MPH

Physician, State Department,

Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine and

Washington, DC, USA

Emergency Department, Attending Physician at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center

Neuro Rehabilitation Units It is the goal of IHIF to establish rehabilitation centers in satellite towns where there is a lack of infrastructure to deal with brain trauma.

Dr Priyadarshini Pal Singh, HOD Emergency Department, Indraprastha Apollo

Dr Kuldeep Singh

Hospitals, New Delhi

Cosmetic and Reconstructive Plastic Surgeon, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi

Dr Chitra Chatterjee Anesthetist, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals,

Dr Arun Prasad

New Delhi

Minimum Access Bariatric and GI Surgeon,

Neuro-Trauma Support Group A Neuro-Trauma Support Group is to be established for victims of head and spine injuries and their families. These groups would provide counseling and information for patients and patients’ families.

DCWA IHIF Neuro-Rehabilitation Centre in New Delhi On Saturday 6 August 2011 the formal inauguration of the DCWA IHIF NeuroRehabilitation Centre with specialized

Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi

Dr Anita Bakshi Senior Consultant Pediatrician, Indraprastha

Dr K Lalita

Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi

Senior Consultant Department of Anesthesia, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi

Dr Vijay Kumar

Dr Vikram Mahajan

Anesthesia, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals,

Senior Consultant Department of Anesthesia,

New Delhi

Senior Consultant, Department of

Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi

Dr Amitabh Dutta Dr Yatinder Kharbanda

Senior Consultant, Gaestrologist,

Senior Consultant Orthopedic Surgeon,

Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi

Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi

WE ARE JUST GETTING STARTED! Traumatic brain injuries happen every day.

Unfortunately, even metro cities in India lack adequate trauma care systems to treat TBIs. Won’t you please join by making a critical contribution to the Indian Head Injury Foundation so that we can make our goals achievable and provide the much needed care to patients with head injury?

Your contribution, however small, can make a world of difference to the lives of those affected.

If you want to send a check, please make it payable to the Indian Head Injury Foundation and mail to: Indian Head Injury Foundation, 205 & 206, 2nd Floor, Pragati House 47-48, Nehru Place, New Delhi 110 019.

If you prefer to make your online donation today, please visit www.indianheadinjuryfoundation.org.

With your support IHIF can improve the outcome of TBI patients in India.

Together, we can make a difference!

For more information please contact: ihif@indianheadinjuryfoundation.org

Patron

Advisory Board

HH The Prince of Wales

Dr Jamshid Ghajar

Board of Trustees His Highness Maharaja Gajsingh II of Marwar-Jodhpur Chairperson

Shri KP Singh

Dr Steve Flanagan Dr Mary Hibbard Dr Andy Jagoda Dr Silvana Reggio Dr Maureen McCunn

Collaborating Agencies & Partners Brain Trauma Foundation of USA New York University School of Medicine Shock Trauma Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Chairman, DLF Universal Ltd.

Dr Manjari Joshi

Major Sponsor

Prince Richard Holkar

Dr Raj K Narayan

Taj Mahal Hotels Resorts and Palaces

Indore

Shri NK Singh Former Revenue Secretary & Member Planning Commission

Dr VS Mehta Director, Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon Former Chief of Neurosciences at AIIMS, New Delhi

Shri Deepak Parekh Chairman, HDFC

Pamela Drexel Dr Pervez Ahmed Dr Urvashi Shah Megha Karkarey Vineeta Rai

Partners Brain Trauma Foundation Apollo Hospitals Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces PTC Delhi, India

Suhel Seth Deepak Vaidya

HDFC Bank

Kr Dhananajaya Singh

Marwar Disaster Management Foundation – Jodhpur

Honorary Executive Director

Rajdadisa Hospital, Jodhpur

Dr Rajendra Prasad Senior Consultant Neurosurgeon and Spine Surgeon, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals

INDIAN

HEAD INJURY FOUND UNDA AT ION