Part of the response to the injury problem needs to encompass strengthening of trauma care. It has been estimated that, out of the 5.8 million people who die from injury each year, over 2 million could be saved by improvements in trauma care capabilities, especially in low-income and middle-income countries. In many circumstances, these improvements could be achieved by low-cost improvements in organisation and planning. Trauma quality improvement (QI) programmes offer a feasible and straightforward way in which to implement such improvements.

QI programmes have been demonstrated to improve the process of trauma care and lower trauma mortality and morbidity in a wide range of circumstances, in countries at a range of economic levels. To promote greater usage of such programmes, WHO, in collaboration with the International Association for Trauma Surgery and Intensive Care (IATSIC) and the International Society of Surgery (ISS), and with the input of other partners and trauma care experts from over 15 countries, has produced and released the Guidelines for trauma quality improvement programmes. This offers recommendations on ways in which trauma QI programmes can be started or …