Tata Trusts ties up with CMC Vellore, CIHS Hyderabad to augment skills of healthcare professionals in management of COVID-19

The curated 22-hour online training programmes are meant for specific staff chosen by identified hospitals, are provided free of cost 

Tata Trusts and the Tata Group have tied up with two medical institutions to assist healthcare professionals augment skills in critical care in the management of COVID-19. The two institutions are Christian Medical College (CMC) Vellore and Care Institute of Health Sciences (CIHS) Hyderabad.

The Trusts’ intervention follows Ratan N Tata, Chairman, Tata Trusts statement that “Urgent emergency resources need to be deployed to cope with the needs of fighting the COVID-19 crisis, which is one of the toughest challenges the human race is facing.”

The curated 22-hour online training programmes are meant for specific staff chosen by identified hospitals and are provided free of cost.

Tata Trusts believes that ICU physicians and intensivists, specialised in critical care management, will require support of a wider cohort of doctors, nurses and paramedical staff to treat COVID-19 patients. The intent of the training programmes is to meet this need by acquainting non-ICU professionals with the fundamental principles and practices of critical care.

The training includes essentials of interventions and procedures in ICUs, orientation of critical care skills like airway management and ventilator management, and how to triage a criticality as mild, moderate or severe and refer cases to appropriate facilities. The programmes will also cover essentials of managing variegated facilities for COVID-19 management, such as isolation centres, quarantine centres, and management of service areas and patients with mild illness.

There are two different methodologies of training available either through live webinars or prepared modules accessible on laptops, desktops or mobile phones.

CMC Vellore’s method trains and develops master trainers, who in turn can coach wider groups in their respective facilities. CIHS Hyderabad’s method directly trains small groups.

Both the institutions have designed their programmes such that participants can provide the required support to their intensivist and ICU colleagues should the need arise. 

This is the fourth such intervention of Tata Trusts to support India in its COVID-19 response.

Four government hospital buildings, two in Uttar Pradesh and two in Maharashtra, are being upgraded into COVID-19 treatment centres. The facilities, including both in-patient and out-patient wings, are permanent and will enduringly enhance healthcare in their locations, even after the immediate purpose is met.

The Trusts have already begun donating to State Governments and individual hospitals personal protection equipment, including coveralls, N95 / KN95 masks, surgical masks, gloves and goggles. Thus far, PPE supplies have gone out to about 26 states and Union Territories.

Tata Trusts has also done a pan-India community outreach to induce adoption of health practices, as promoted by the Government of India, in rural areas to prevent the spread of COVID-19.  Beginning March 31, the exercise is expected to have already reached about 21 million people in 21 states.