Fifty per cent of patients who suffer acute heart attacks, die on the way to the hospital because none of the people around have basic life support (BLS) skills, says Dr N.T.R University of Health Sciences (UHS) Vice-Chancellor T. Raviraju.
With the Krishna pushkarams fast approaching there is a need to impart BLS skills to medical interns, paramedics, employees and the general public. “People who would be posted at the medical centres during the river festival should undergo training in BLS skills to effectively handle the possible cases of drowning, heart attacks, aged persons developing breathlessness and in the worst-case scenario a stampede. People with BLS training will be able to save lives,” maintains Dr. Raviraju.
Indicating that no effort was made in this direction, he said the first priority of the UHS was to impart BLS skills to medical interns and paramedics.
The UHS has made it mandatory for all medical graduates to undergo a day-long BLS training programme after house surgery or internship. In the next phase, the dentists will have to adhere to the norm. After the dentists comes teachers’ turn to master BLS skills. Government employees will be trained after the teachers and only then the general public interested in acquiring BLS training will get a chance, he informed.
When asked how the common man could acquire BLS skills, he said: “let them contact the UHS. When their number is big enough, we will constitute a batch and impart them training,” he said.
Shortage of trainers is a problem the university seems to be facing in conducting classes. The training module for doctors, dentists and paramedics is slightly technical while a basic course will have to be offered to the general public. Mannequins and videos will also be used for effective teaching, he explained.
In a move to reach out to the general public, the UHS imparted BLS training to 40 Special Protection Force personnel on Tuesday. Of the 340 SPF men stationed in Vijayawada, a few were selected for the training. These men will train others in the force, Dr Raviraju said.
