WHY WON'T WE SAVE A LIFE???
The first time I saw a man collapse right in front of me was at Oshodi bus stop in Lagos. It was a hot afternoon, the man was bargaining with a bus conductor and before we could say Jack he fell flat on the ground. People screamed and some one shouted “Blood of Jesus”, they ran to sprinkle water on his face. The man’s body jerked as if he was struggling for air, everyone around was panicking but nobody seemed to know the right thing to do. A few men tried to lift him up roughly, another wanted to pour malta guinness into his mouth but an elderly man in a brown jacket quickly stepped in.He asked everyone to stand back so that the man can receive fresh air and we had to obey him, he loosed the man’s belt, turned him gently to the side and checked if he was breathing. Within few minutes the man began to move again and everyone was happy that the man is alive.That day, I realized something very important that many people including me do not know even the simplest first aid treatment and yet we face emergencies every day.
First aid is the first assistance provided to a sick or injured being before being attended to by a doctor. It does not mean being a doctor but doing the right things in fast so that someone is kept alive or stable until a professional doctor can see the person.
However, we most times have the tendency to stick to the old ways or will I can say trial and error rather than knowledge. First aid is not really known these days because we never think of it being a priority even in most of our homes it is hard to find a good first aid box but at best you only have paracetamol tablets, a bottle of methylated spirit and perhaps some cotton wool but first aid is not a luxury it is a necessity.
One thing I admire about the Red Cross Society is their effort to train volunteers in first id treatment, I once attended one of their community trainings in Lagos and it changed the way I see emergencies. They taught us how to remain calm, how to assess the situation quickly and how to avoid causing more harm, they emphasized that first aid is not about replacing doctors but about buying time until doctors are available for proper medication of the patient.That training opened my eyes, I learned that when someone faints you don’t rush to pour water or force food into their mouth instead you simply lay them flat and loosen their clothing for them to receive fresh air, then you can sprinkle a little water on their face, since then I have carried that knowledge with me everywhere.
First aid is not something we should leave for doctors and nurses alone. It is something everybody should learn, because emergencies can happen anywhere especially to our families, our neighbors or even strangers on the street, we need proper knowledge of this thing. Families should keep a proper first aid box at home and everyone should take responsibility to learn at least the basics. The truth is that accidents and medical emergencies do not give warning, it can happen in a classroom, at a market, on a busy road and even in the house but with first aid knowledge, we can turn fear into action by saving lives. Funny enough, the next life saved could be that of a loved one or even our own so let's make sure we take first aid knowledge serious.
Thank you so much for staying this far, hope you had a good read with me, see you again next time 🤗