Cardiac arrest is a life-threatening condition that kills more than 7 million people every year throughout the world.
Cardiovascular illnesses such as ischemic heart disease, cardiomyopathy, and valvular heart disease, among others, are common causes of cardiac arrest and are hastened by sedentary lifestyles, smoking, alcohol, and physical inactivity.
Trauma is another cause of cardiac arrest that cannot be overstated, particularly in resource-constrained nations with inadequate emergency response services.
These were stated by Dr. Nkechi Oluwakemi Dike, a Lecturer in Anatomy and Clinical Skills at the School of Medical Sciences to ATLFM NEWS during a day’s training session for staff and students of the University of Cape coast in Basic Life Support (BLS) and first aid.
She indicated that the purpose for the training was to educate participants on basic life support and first aid skills so that they are able to resuscitate a casualty regardless of where they are or in the absence of medical professionals.
Dr. Nkechi Oluwakemi Dike said successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation is the first step for returning to life in people experiencing cardiac arrest.
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“At least everyone will be equipped with the skill to do a cardio pulmonary resuscitation, at least to help someone restart a heart when it stops. So when you find an unconscious patient, you know exactly what to do,” she said
Dr. Oluwakemi Dike further stated that at an accident scene, individuals must be composed in order to save lives.
“ At an accident scene, be composed and try to help those who need help and also memorize all the police, fire service and ambulance service emergency numbers so that after the basic life support offered the right health officials can take over,” she intimated
Participants were taken through skills like how to be able to manage a choking patient, resuscitate someone having a cardiac arrest and how to apply the right techniques to domestic accidents.
The exercise is one of the events planned to commemorate the university’s 60th Anniversary, which will be climaxed in October 2022.
SOURCE: DORCAS AKPAKUDI & LINDA AMAKYE ADJEI/ATLFMNEWS
