Saving lives — Why learning first aid skills is important

Saudi Gazette report

It is easy to overlook the importance of learning first aid skills until someone finds themselves in a situation where such knowledge could have saved the life of a friend or relative. Unfortunately, the majority of people in the Kingdom do not know how to administer first aid. This lack of knowledge is most evident when an accident takes place and most people who witnessed the accident are simply bystanders unable to help the victim. But by taking a first aid course — usually available for free — people can learn key life-saving skills in as little as 5 hours, Al-Riyadh daily reports.

Dr. Zuhair Al-Asiri, as associate professor at the Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine Department, King Saud University, said the level of awareness of first aid among the general public is very low.

“As doctors, we realize this fact when we work in the emergency room. We receive many cases in bad condition because no one administered first aid to them,” he explained.

“Some people do not even know how to contact paramedics. Usually, when you call the Red Crescent and report an accident, the dispatcher will give you information about how to help the person in distress but that information is of little use when someone doesn’t know the importance of first aid,” he added.

According to Al-Asiri, the lack of first aid knowledge among Saudis can be attributed to two major factors: A lack of awareness programs in schools and workplaces and little publicity in the media.

“School curriculums do not teach how first aid is administered and the same holds true for most workplaces. The Ministry of Education must make it compulsory for all students to get training on first aid in school. This way, high school students will master all the basic skills of first aid by the time they graduate. The media must help raise awareness among the public on the importance of first aid.”

CPR

Most studies indicate that massaging the heart of someone who has just had a heart attack can go a long way in saving his life. “If you do not know how to do it, you might just stand there watching the person die in front of you,” he said.

Several studies have shown that knowledge of first aid has helped many ordinary people save lives. A recent study conducted in the Kingdom revealed that the majority of patients rushed to the emergency room arrived after their hearts had stopped because no one administered first aid.

Dr. Abdulmajeed Al-Mabrad, assistant professor and chair of Ambulatory Services Department, King Saud University, said knowing how to perform Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is important and something everyone should know how to do.

“Over 70 percent of Americans do not know how to administer first aid to someone who has just had a heart attack. That number is much higher in the Kingdom,” he said.

Dr. Fahad Arab, a health affairs researcher, called for a national plan that equips a large number of people with the skills they need to administer first aid to anyone who is in need.

“We need volunteers, people who are willing to learn and help others. Those volunteers can contribute to the health sector as well,” he said.