By Daniel Agbesi Latsu
Kpetoe (V/R), Sept 12, GNA – The Agotime-Ziope District Office of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in the Volta Region, has embarked on an educational tour with members of Civic Education Club (CEC) from two schools to the District Office of the National Ambulance Service (NAS).
The club members, numbering 120, were from Kpetoe Evangelical Presbyterian (E.P) Junior High School (JHS) and Custom Academy D.A Basic School.
Mr. Christian Ahiawodzi, Agotime-Ziope NCCE District Director said the objective of the tour was to expose the students to the operations of the National Ambulance Service and to equip them with some Basic Life Support services to survive during emergency situations.
He said the tour was also meant to serve as career grooming for the young ones who might be interested in becoming Emergency Medical Technicians in future.
Mr. Ahiawodzi charged the students to share knowledge acquired from the trip with their parents and peers back home for them to have informed society on the roles and functions of NAS.
Mr. Otu Tetteh Kofi, Agotime-Ziope District Commander, NAS, said the mandate of the National Ambulance Service (NAS) was to provide efficient and timely pre-hospital emergency medical care to the seriously sick and the injured and transport them safely to health facilities.
Mr. Otu said, in an emergency where the person involved passed out, there were steps involved in providing basic life support.
He advised that such a person be relocated to a safer location, call the Ambulance Service on 112, adding that, “while you wait for the Ambulance to come you begin to do Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).”
This, he said, combines rescue breathing (mouth-to mouth) and chest compression to temporarily pump enough oxygenated blood to the brain until specialized treatment is available.
Mr. Otu saidwithin 4-6 minutes when there is no oxygenated blood supply to the brain, the person may suffer brain damage and could lead to death, hence the CPR is necessary.
The District Commander advised the students to avoid playing with sharp objects in order not to hurt themselves.
Madam Bernice Kporvi, a teacher from Custom Academy DA Basic School commended the Commission and staff of the District National Ambulance Service for the insightful education.
GNA