October 14, 2022; Ras Al Khaimah, UAE: With the aim to save maximum number of lives by making first-aid accessible and available at all places, RAK Hospital in Ras Al Khaimah has committed to creating ‘First Aid Heroes’ by providing high-quality BLS certified Life Support training to hundreds of security guards across the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah for free.

 

The drive was formally launched at a Press Conference by Dr. Amin Hussain Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary for the Medical Practice and License Sector in the UAE Ministry of Health in the presence of Mr. Abdul Aziz Al Zaabi, Chairman of Arabian Healthcare Group LLC, the parent organization of RAK Hospital and other senior officials from the Group and the RAK Hospital team.

 

In its first phase, the CSR initiative, which is a first-of-a-kind drive by a healthcare institution in the country addressing the need of having first aid providers, has already trained the first batch of 100 security personnel. Furthermore, the campaign which began in RAK will first cover Ras Al Khaimah and then move to other parts of the country to replicate the success. Security guards placed across workplaces, residential apartments and villas, schools, shopping malls, industries and other businesses will be trained in batches to cover the entire population.

 

Talking about the campaign, Dr Raza Siddiqui, Executive Director, RAK Hospital said, “We identified that security guards are the most common factor everywhere across UAE in all kinds of facilities thus they were best suited to work as first responders in case of emergencies. RAK Hospital has therefore undertaken to train them to be ‘Good Samaritans'.

 

The goal is to arm them with the knowledge, skills and confidence to identify situations that need immediate help along with the skills to initiate first aid and basic CPR until the emergency services arrive. CPR – or Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation – is an emergency lifesaving procedure performed when the heart stops beating. Currently, about 9 in 10 people who have a cardiac arrest outside the hospital die but immediate CPR can double or triple their chances of survival.”

 

Statistics show that 80% of deaths from injuries can also be prevented by administering first aid. In addition, getting first-aid helps to reduce a person’s recovery time and can make a huge difference between the patient having a temporary or long-term disability. 

 

“In emergency situations, response time to the person is vital. Each second counts and that is why it is essential to have the right skills. Moreover, recognizing the signs of someone in medical distress and then being able to assist them can mean the difference between life and death. It is observed that without proper first aid, a simple injury could become fatal”, commented Dr Jean M. Gauer, CEO of RAK Hospital.

 

Ms. Susan Aiken, Chief of Patient Services at RAK Hospital added: “The 3Ps of first aid: Preserve Life, Prevent the Situation from Worsening and Promote recovery can go a long way in making a difference and saving lives. The guards are being trained to take systematic ABCDE (Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, and Exposure) first aid approach for the assessment and treatment of the patients.

 

Cardiovascular Disease is the leading cause of death in the UAE. This can be attributed to many factors including changes in lifestyle, diet, decrease in physical activity with a more sedentary office lifestyle, smoking and consumption of alcohol. In line with this, there is an increase in obesity, diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol, all of which can lead to heart disease and heart attack. Doctors have noted that there is a rise in young people suffering from heart disease with half of the heart attacks in people under 50.

However, treatment given within the first hour or ‘the golden hour' after a heart attack is crucial for heart attack patients, as this can save their lives.

 

Health education to help prevent heart disease, early recognition of the signs of heart attack, early intervention and rapid access to emergency services and hospitals can save lives. The Security guards will complete a certified ASHI (American Safety & Health Institute) Basic Life Support Training course which includes both theory and practical components followed by an examination of the same.

 

The course covers adults, children and infants and includes

• Early recognition

• How to call emergency services

• High-quality CPR

• Use of AED (automated external defibrillator) to help those experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. It’s an easy-to-use medical device to help the heart re-establish an effective rhythm.

 

Following the course, there will be regular follow-up refresher training to ensure the knowledge and skills are kept up to date.

   

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