Strengthening Trauma Care on Samruddhi Mahamarg to Improve Emergency Response for Road Crash Victims | Mumbai News

Mumbai: Highlighting the crucial location of a rural hospital at Mehkar, along the crash-prone spots of Samruddhi Mahamarg, a non-profit working on road safety, SaveLIFE Foundation, announced on Saturday that it strengthened the trauma stabalisation capacity of the hospital. This was achieved by handing over a comprehensive list of essential emergency care equipment to improve readiness for serious crashes. Road crash data showed that between Jan 2023 and March 2025, victims from 14 crashes on the corridor were brought to the hospital, highlighting its role in responding to such emergencies. However, due to limited emergency and trauma care resources available at the time, many patients were referred to other facilities. This led to the loss of 29 lives, along with 22 serious injuries and 5 minor injuries, sources said.Based on a data-driven assessment, the Foundation, in collaboration with Mercedes-Benz India Pvt Ltd, recently identified critical gaps in the hospital’s ability to provide immediate trauma care and prepared the equipment list to address these deficiencies as part of the zero fatality corridor program.“The trauma care equipment handed over included a crash cart, defibrillator with monitor, ETCO₂ monitor, airway management devices, laryngoscope, vital signs monitor, fracture splint kit, cervical collars, suction machine, stretchers, Fowler’s beds, and wheelchairs, among other essential resources. The current upgrade directly addresses these gaps, enabling the hospital to serve as a stronger first point of stabilisation for crash victims when every minute matters,” said a SaveLIFE member.“This initiative will enable the hospital to provide timely trauma stabilisation for road crash victims and other emergency cases, particularly during the critical ‘golden hour’ following a crash,” said Dr Sunita Hiwase, Medical Superintendent at the rural hospital.“To achieve zero road crash fatalities, it is essential to have a strong emergency care system along high-risk corridors that can respond quickly and effectively. By upgrading the trauma care capabilities at the hospital, we are ensuring that victims receive life-saving care closer to the crash site, thereby improving survival outcomes in the region,” said SaveLIFE Foundation CEO Piyush Tewari.It may be recalled that on March 12, 2023, six people, including four women and a minor, were killed in a car accident on the Samruddhi Mahamarg near Mehkar in Maharashtra’s Buldhana district. Thirteen people were travelling in the “overspeeding” seven-seater car, and the seven others were taken to hospital after they sustained injuries.Later in July the same year, a private bus travelling on Samruddhi Expressway in Maharashtra’s Buldhana district caught fire. Twenty-five people died, and eight others were injured in the accident.