Primary Trauma Care: A Training Course for Healthcare Providers in Developing Countries

Outcomes of injury in low and middle income countries may be compromised by skill deficiencies of healthcare providers. Short subspecialty training courses can be a useful solution to skill-deficits. We report on the Primary Trauma Care programme, a 2-day course designed to train frontline health workers in resuscitation and early management of the injured with limited resources and equipment. Developed for use in weak health systems and now conducted in over 70 countries, the programme is cost-efficient with built-in design sustainability by way of early transfer of ownership to local partners to effect a cascade of trauma courses in their communities. Published studies report a significant improvement in both knowledge and skills of the participants with greater confidence in managing trauma victims. A trained health workforce could address the unmet needs identified by Global Surgery and thus contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.