Manipal Hospitals and Bangalore city police traffic organization collaborate to promote basic life support training

PTI, Jul 7, 2023, 10:33 AM IST

Manipal Hospitals, in collaboration with Bangalore City Police Traffic and CII Young Indians Bengaluru introduced a First Responder Certification Course on basic life support in the form of CPR and first-aid training sessions. Recognizing the importance of fundamental life-saving skills, this initiative aims to educate and empower traffic professionals, who are often the first responders during an emergency on the road. Under this course, 900 traffic wardens are expected to be trained in weekly training sessions and equipped with life-saving skills to respond effectively in emergency situations.

MN Anucheth, IPS, Joint Commissioner of Police, Traffic Bengaluru expressed his appreciation for the important training session on basic life support, stating, ”As traffic personnel, certain fundamental and rudimentary life-saving skills are required, and I am immensely grateful to Manipal Hospitals for sparing their precious time to teach these essential skills to all of us. This training will enable our traffic wardens to provide basic medical attention and prevent potential fatalities and reduce the severity of injuries.” First responders play a pivotal role during an emergency in helping a patient until the paramedic team reaches the location. There is a concept called ‘golden hour’, which translates to a critical window of time where immediate medical attention can make a life-saving difference. During this time, life-saving techniques like cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can revive a personwho has stopped breathing following a cardiac arrest or injury.

On this note, Dr. Mabel Vasnaik, HOD & Consultant – Emergency Medicine, Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road, stated, ”Accidents and emergencies can occur anytime and anywhere, and traffic wardens being the guardians of people on the road play a pivotal role in handling these emergencies. Through this course, not only will the participants be trained in CPR but they will also gain a broader understanding of a number of emergencies they may encounter, both on the road and in their personal lives, and how they will respond to them.” Dr. Bhanu Prasad, Emergency Specialist, Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road, encouraged individuals to take on the role of a rescuer in critical moments. He said, ”Our aim is to empower each individual with the knowledge and skills to become a first responder in times of need. Together, we can make a significant difference and save lives.” Under the umbrella of the ‘Guardian of the Heart’ Campaign, Manipal Hospitals, in its effort to create awareness, also installed signboards with two different QR codes where one led to the MARS (Manipal Ambulance Response Services) webpage, for people to scan and call an ambulance with just one tap, while the other QR led them to a tutorial video of CPR being performed during an emergency.