Victoria to house first sports medicine dept in state

The Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI) will become the first public hospital in the state to house a dedicated sports medicine department.

A proposal has been drafted on the guidelines of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to establish a full-fledged department that will train graduates in the field of medicine and also offer care for those with sports-related injuries — a first of its kind in Karnataka.

The BMCRI has sought approval from the Medical Council of India (MCI) to offer two seats for MD, Sports Medicine. Students who have completed MBBS degrees can opt for the course and avail seats by appearing for NEET.

“The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has plans to start such departments in various medical colleges across the country. Currently, there is one each in Delhi and Chennai,” said Dr Ramesh Krishna K, professor & HOD, Orthopaedics, BMCRI.

MCI officials have conducted inspections and if approval is given, the course will commence next academic year.

The department will offer treatment facilities on Victoria Hospital premises alongside the orthopaedics department. The Union government will extend financial support for the first five years for recruitment of staff and other expenses.

“Sports medicine, orthopaedics, physiotherapy go hand in hand. However, we require additional facilities. Some of the equipment we asked for have been sanctioned. We are waiting for a few more,” said Dr Krishna.

"There is a need for a dedicated department that will look into sports injuries alone. We have also proposed to have an MoU with the Sports Authority of India to send patients here henceforth. We have been seeing many patients with sports injuries in the ortho department of late," said Dr Krishna.

The proposed department will have a separate OT Table, Orthroscope, an image intensifier and physiotherapy equipment.

In the initial years, staffers from Orthopaedics will double up as faculty for sports medicine department. “We do not have many faculty trained in sports medicine in India. Hence, as per the guidelines of MCI, we have these staff to train students,” said Dr Krishna.

Faculty from ortho, physiology, psychiatry and physiotherapy will guide postgraduate students.

RGUHS vice-chancellor Dr S Sachidananda said Rs 12 crore has been sanctioned to the BMCRI for the establishment of the department. “The facility at Victoria Hospital will act as a tertiary care centre. Patients from other districts who have sports-related injuries can get referred to here,” he said.

Dr G Kishore, regional head of Sports Authority of India, Bengaluru, welcomed the move. “Sports medicine is an area where we need expertise. It is not just the treatment aspect but sports medicine experts also play a role in the prevention of injuries with timely advice on what to do and not to do. It is an integral area of training methodology,” he said.