JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia will join the rest of the world on Saturday in celebrating World First Aid Day to raise awareness of the importance of first aid in saving lives.
Saudi Red Crescent Authority’s head of training Dr. Mohammed Al-Suwaih said that raising awareness of common accidents and first aid methods is vital in helping members of the public save lives.
He added that the authority is keen to provide emergency and rapid medical services in both normal circumstances and disasters, and that lectures and training courses in first aid hosted by the SRCA are helping the public learn important first aid skills.
HIGHLIGHT
Saudi Red Crescent Authority called on families and community members to ensure the availability of a first aid kit at home, at work, and in their vehicles. The items include a guidebook, medical forceps and swabs, adhesive wound tape, antibiotic ointment, gauze bandages, and an elastic lumbar band that helps treat fractures and sprained joints.
Al-Suwaih said that the programs primarily target government agency employees, the private sector, charities and school students.
He added that SRCA programs are available throughout the year and in all regions of the Kingdom, and can be joined directly through the website training.srca.org.sa.
The authority is also interested in boosting the skills of its employees by providing them with the latest scientific-based training in emergency medical services.
He called on families and community members to ensure the availability of a first aid kit at home, at work, and in their vehicles, adding that it must contain several basic items.
The items include a guidebook, medical forceps and swabs, adhesive wound tape, antibiotic ointment, gauze bandages, and an elastic lumbar band that helps treat fractures and sprained joints.
Al-Suwaih said that people administering first aid must follow important steps until the arrival of emergency teams, including reporting the accident to authorities and requesting an ambulance from the nearest hospital.
They should also provide medical responders with all the details of an accident and the patient, as this will aid in the treatment process, he added.
