NEW DELHI, Sept 17: Rapid motorization in developing countries has in its wake brought about an alarming increase in injuries and fatalities on the roads, particularly in the Sub-continent where one in six injured in a traffic accident dies compared to only one in 200 in the USA.

Of these fatalities, up to one-third could be saved by timely medical care, highlighting a need for medical and road safety experts to respond vigorously to this challenge.

These observations were made at the inauguration of a three-day primary trauma care workshop at New Delhi’s Apollo Hospital on Friday. The workshop was presided over by Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit and the Pakistan High Commissioner, Abdul Aziz Khan.

A seven-member team of doctors of the Primary Trauma Care Group (PTC) of Sindh is conducting the course for a group of 25 physicians from Delhi and other parts of India. Prof John Beavis, a Briton, is among the instructors.

The visiting PTC team includes Prof Rashid Jooma, Dr Shariq Ali, Dr Saeed Minhas of the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Dr Inam Pal and Dr Rashid Punjwani of the Aga Khan University Hospital, Dr Nurul Haq of the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and Dr Bushra Shirazi of the Ziauddin University Hospital.