Journalists learn life-saving skills

It is generally believed that 80% of accident victims die before they get to the health facilities as a result of improper handling. Even in the homes lives are lost from minor accidents out of ignorance and lack of first aid skills on the part of the rescuers.As a step to train all sectors of the economy in basic first aid skills, the St. John Ambulance Ghana in collaboration with the Ghana Journalist Association, (GJA) organised a week’s training programme for some selected journalist in Accra. The St. John Ambulance is part of international first aid training and services set up by the British Police in Ghana in 1937.According to the organizers, apart from the police, the media are often contacted when accidents occur; hence the need to educate them on basic skills in first aid to enable them to save lives. The Executive Secretary of St. John Ambulance Ghana, Mrs. Hilda Commey explained that the recent increase in accidents on our roads and its effects prompted the two bodies to organize the workshop. She said it is also part of St John’s programme dubbed, “First Aid on the Road – A Major Concern,” to increase national awareness for first aid knowledge and skills. “This training programme will equip the media in first aid techniques in general, since first aid administration is universal and must be a major concern for all.” She encouraged the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, (DVLA) to speed up the inclusion of compulsory first aid training for divers especially those in the commercial sector in its requirements. The media personnel were taken through ‘principles and practices of first aid’, ‘action in emergency’, ‘disorders of the respiratory system and injuries to bones, muscles and spiral organs.’ They engaged in demonstrations mainly in cardio pulmonary resuscitation, pulse checking, control of bleeding, mobilization of fractures and the various methods of lifting and moving victims according to the type of injury.The General Secretary of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Mr. Bright Blewu expressed appreciation to St. John Ambulance for the programme. Mr. Blewu noted the training was very essential for the Journalists since Journalists are often the first people to arrive at accident scenes. He said the requisite skills they have acquired through the training would help them not only to get stories but also save lives as well.First aid boxes each worth an amount of ¢300 thousand were presented to participating media houses.