Save a life, save humanity

Many accident victims die due to delay in first aid

LAHORE: Ali Raza was walking in the campus of Punjab University when a speeding vehicle hit him. He fell to the ground and had to wait at least half an hour until an ambulance arrived and shifted him to a hospital.

This incident left an everlasting impact on his life and changed the way he used to see the world. Raza, who is now working with Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS), has dedicated his life to imparting first aid training to help save lives.

“I was surrounded by a lot of people, but none of them knew anything about first aid. I was bleeding. Then the rescuers arrived and took me to a hospital,” he recalls.

PRCS’ first aid trainer Muhammad Imran tells The Express Tribune that Pakistan is a disaster-prone country, but 98% of the adult population has no idea how to save a life through a few simple first aid tips. He says there is a need to provide basic training of first aid to common people so that they can save victims of an accident at home, workplace or public spaces.



He says Pakistan Red Crescent Society’s Punjab chapter has helped millions of people overcome disease and disaster by offering support services including food, clean water, and medical treatment.

“With these live-saving activities, PRCS has been given a task to ensure that every home has at least one first aid provider,” he adds.

“It is important to have at least basic knowledge of first aid. At its most basic, first aid is the initial assistance given to a victim of an injury or illness.”

He was of the view that the community would benefit as a whole if more people acquire first aid training.



PRCS Provincial Media and Communication Manager Ali Raza Mukhtar highlights that in situations such someone ingesting a harmful substance, suffering a heart attack, seizure or stroke, accident or natural disaster, a person trained in even the basics of first aid can be invaluable till emergency responders arrive.

Two-day training workshop

PRCS organised a two-day first aid workshop for journalists on May 4-5 at its training centre in Murree. The participants were briefed over tackling different emergency situations such as like heart attacks, shock, bleeding, angina pain and CPR etc.

Participants were also given a practical demonstration and simulation exercises were performed. Pakistan Red Crescent Punjab Secretary Dr Shaukat Ali was the chief guest of the training session.

While addressing the participants, he conveyed the message of PRCS (Punjab) Chairman Mian Muhammad Hanif and said first aid training was highly important for journalists as they were among the first to arrive at an emergency situations.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 9^th, 2018.