The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has launched a National Health Research Priority Project aimed at developing advanced emergency care systems in Puri.

It seeks to establish a High-Quality Patient-Centric Integrated Model for Emergency Care Systems. Besides Puri, the ICMR has launched this scheme in Ludhiana (Punjab), Vidisha (Madhya Pradesh), Vadodara (Gujarat), and Pondicherry.

Executive Director, AIIMS Bhubaneswar, Dr Ashutosh Biswas said: “AIIMS Bhubaneswar, in collaboration with ICMR and the state government, is spearheading the project in Odisha. The initiative will enhance emergency care by improving logistics, boosting healthcare provider competencies, integrating information technology and artificial intelligence tools, and mapping facilities.”

Biswas said: “The key components of the project include improving ambulance services, increasing community demand, and training first-level responders. The project will address seven critical emergencies: heart attack, brain stroke, trauma, snake bite, poisoning, respiratory emergencies, and neonatal and maternal emergencies.”

Biswas emphasized the collaborative nature of the initiative during a National Level Consultation cum Review Meeting held at AIIMS Bhubaneswar here on Tuesday.

The meeting, themed “Collaborative Action: Strategies to Strengthen Emergency Care in India,” gathered key stakeholders to discuss strategies for enhancing emergency
care.

Dr Biswas unveiled the Vision Document of INDIA EMS and Training Manuals, advocating for the integration of geo-tagging systems, IT, HR, and HMIS. He emphasized improvements in transport, ALS facility ambulances, immediate response, and community education on basic life support.

A research team led by Dr Arvind Kumar Singh, additional professor at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, has been formed to develop and implement this model in collaboration with the state government.

Director of health services, Odisha government, Dr Bijay Kumar Mohapatra, stressed the importance of enhancing the emergency healthcare system in
Odisha.

Director of public health, Dr Nilakantha Mishra, highlighted the need to integrate the health schemes with national programs and scale it across all districts.