The necessity of comprehensive first-aid training for everyone in the country must be emphasised as a critical must-have skill as evidenced by recent accidents and the ongoing flooding whereby lives have been saved.
The ability to administer first aid saved two lives among those in the chopper crash that filled 10 military officers, including the Chief of Defence Forces.
During the ongoing flooding in different parts of the country, many lives have been saved by ordinary people who should be empowered to intervene in future emergencies.
This shows that everyone needs to be equipped with skills and knowledge to save lives during emergencies. Because injured people need urgent medical attention, it is unwise to wait until medical services arrive, when those at the scene could at least secure the injured.
Basic life support, cardiac life support, pre-hospital care, trauma care and basic first aid should be mandatory subjects taught at all levels in our education system. Alternatively, institutions like Kenya Red Cross Training Institute, Amref, St John's Ambulance and other training centres, can be empowered to provide this kind of training on a large scale.
They will empower people to act swiftly in offering medical aid to the injured. Those first few seconds mean life and death during an emergency. As traumatic events continue to increase, ranging from drowning, severe bleeds, cardiac arrests and broken limbs to seemingly simple emergencies such as choking, it is prudent to transform colleagues, students, teachers and neighbours into first responders.
The training they will undergo must extend beyond addressing physical injuries to encompassing the ability to have a focused eye to assess situations and react accordingly, especially in traumatic events.
Often, trained first aiders can offer psychological support and assurance to the injured. The reassurance makes healing easier and prevents one from falling into a worse state.
It is a fundamental skill that should be imparted to individuals from all walks of life, regardless of age, occupation, or background. Accidents and medical emergencies can occur anywhere, from the workplace to the home. In each instance, the presence of individuals trained in first aid can make a critical difference.
Further, in Arid and Semi-arid Lands where there are frequent climate change-related impacts like floods, fires, drought and resultant problems like conflicts, it is prudent to empower the communities with first-aid training to cultivate a culture of preparedness and resilience.
This will ensure that communities are equipped with the knowledge and skills to respond effectively to health emergencies and their well-being, especially during disasters.
The ongoing flooding in the country, orchestrated by heavy rainfall, also serves as a critical reminder of the necessity to build local capacities for quick response during disasters.
In light of recent events, there is an urgent need to prioritise first-aid training and ensure widespread access to such education. Governments, organisations and communities must invest in comprehensive training programmes that equip individuals with the skills needed to respond confidently and competently in emergencies.
As we mourn the passing of Chief of Defence Forces Francis Ogolla, his KDF colleagues and those people swept away by floods, let us pick key lessons learnt and reaffirm our commitment to promoting first aid for emergency preparedness.
