A workshop of Disaster Management and Medical Management of Chemical Disaster

A workshop of Disaster Management and Medical Management of Chemical Disaster Emergencies was held on Saturday, 11th March 2023 at Sanskruti Bhavan Multipurpose Hall, Patto, Panaji, Goa. It was organized by Indian Medical Association (IMA) Ponda branch, in association with IMA Goa State. The State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), the Goa Chamber of Commerce & Industries (GCCI) and the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) were the collaborating partners for this event.

The event was inaugurated by the Chief Guest, Dr. Kaushik Sarkar, Director and Medical Inspector of Mines cum Certifying Surgeon, in Directorate General of Mines Safety, under Govt of India. Dr. Chetan Patel, Trainer of Trainers for HOPE (Hospital Preparedness for Emergencies) course, and ex-Chairperson of Disaster Management Cell of National IMA for more than 10 years, was the Guest of Honour for the event.
Ponda IMA branch was represented by Dr. Deelip Kerkar, President, Dr. Rajaram Mahambrey, Secretary and Dr. Vallabh Dhaimodker, Program Officer and Chairman, Scientific Committee. The state IMA was represented by Dr. Mohan Dhumaskar, President and Dr. Sandeep Naik, Secretary.
GCCI was represented by its Chairperson, Mr. Ralph de Souza, and its Director, Mrs. Pallavi Arondekar, while GSPCB was represented by its Member Secretary, Ms. Sharmila Monteiro.
Other dignitaries present included Mr. Nitin Raiker, Director of Fire & Emergency Services, Goa, Mr. Ashok Menon, Ex-Director of Fire & Emergency Services, Goa, and Mr. Braz Menezes from the Goa Police.

Around 130 delegates attended the event. They were doctors from IMA, representatives from industry, and delegates from various government departments.

Besides Dr. Kaushik Sarkar, Dr. Chetan Patel and Dr. Vallabh Dhaimodker (Director, Dr. Dhaimodker-IMA First Aid Training Academy), other faculty included Dr. Saurabh Dalal (National Professional Officer, Emergency , Risk & Crisis Management at World Health Organization, New Delhi, Delhi, India, Mr. Tarique Sohail (certified Instructor for HOPE Basic Course and the TFI Course), Dr. Dipchand Bhandare (representing Manipal Hospital, Goa), Mr. Ashok Menon, Dr. Nimisha Dukle (IMA Bardez) and Dr. Aaron Soares (IMA Ponda).

The topics discussed during the day-long workshop included Profile of Industries in Goa State, Mapping of Chemical Industries, Preparedness for Chemical Emergencies, Emergency Medical response, Pre-Hospital Care, including Triage, Hospital Preparedness Plan, Medical Management of Chemical Emergencies, and Table Top exercise with real-life scenarios.

Dr. Dipchand Bhandare showcased the preparedness of Manipal Hospital, Goa in the event of a disaster.

A souvenir released to mark the event includes short articles written by the faculty.