Khelo India 2019: Behind-the-scenes stars of KIYG, the medical team impresses one and all

Pune, January 15: A large-scale event like Khelo India Youth Games with close to 9,000 participants including athletes, officials, volunteers and others, requires a lot of resources to be successful with a number of designated teams working diligently behind the scenes to keep the Games on an even keel.

One unit which is a necessity in every sports event is the medical squad. Injuries are part and parcel of sport and they need to be tended to as quickly as possible to avoid long-term implications. For the Khelo India Youth Games, organizers have put together a medical team of close to 500 members, among whom doctors alone number over a hundred. Their quick action and professionalism have won them a lot of praise.

The functioning of the medical unit is handled by District Sports Officer Uday Joshi. He was a member of the 2010 Commonwealth Games management committee. According to Joshi, help from Pune’s major hospitals was a big factor in the smooth running of the personnel dedicated to manning the Games’ posts.

“It is heartening to see major institutions like D.Y. Patil Hospital, Ruby Hall Clinic, and Yashwantrao Memorial Hospital stepping in to help. They have been sending teams of doctors, nurses, ward boys, attendants and whoever else we may need on a daily basis. We keep them in rotation through daily schedules which are prepared prior to the events.”

A total of 20 ambulances are present in the complex with all facilities included. Every arena has a team of 10 medical officers including orthodontists, physiotherapists, first aid doctors, nurses, etc. For heavy contact sports, the medical rooms are situated close by so that attention is immediate when needed.

Whenever there is an injury, a protocol is followed. The injured athlete is first attended by the on-the-spot doctors. If the injury needs immobilisation for a short time, they are taken to the nearby medical room. If the injury is more serious, the athlete is taken to the main centre which also has an ICU facility.

Cases of grievous injury which cannot be treated in the complex are immediately sent to either Sassoon Hospital or Yashwantrao Memorial Hospital. For X-rays and other tests, facilities at nearby hospitals are used.

Joshi added, “The doctors are extremely professional and very well trained. Recently there was a girl who hurt her foot on the badminton court. She was immediately looked after and could even resume play after 20 minutes of rest. The doctors are prepared and attentive which solves the case then and there.”

So far, organizers have seen to injuries like fractures, ligament tears and dislocations which were handled quickly and efficiently.

Monica, a nurse who works in the Aundh Hospital praised the structured functioning of the medical units. “When everything is well scheduled beforehand and the authorities are so supportive, it is easier to work. And working for such a prestigious event makes me proud as a member of the medical fraternity,” she observed.