The first five minutes: Why every Ghanaian should know basic life support- Lessons from recent tragedies
Every Ghanaian should know basic life support because "the difference between life and death often depends not on a doctor or a hospital, but on the actions of ordinary people nearby." A person can suddenly collapse from cardiac arrest at home, at church, in a market, at work, or on the roadside.
A study by Offei-Awuku et al. at Winneba Municipal Hospital found that 96.2% of clinical staff did not have a valid or recent Basic Life Support (BLS) certification, with only 3.9% meeting the national certification requirement. Basic Life Support (BLS) includes recognizing cardiac arrest, calling for help, performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and using an Automated External Defibrillator (AED). Brain injury begins within minutes when the heart stops beating effectively, and for every minute that passes without CPR, the chances of survival decline significantly.
Quick Summary
Ghana faces a critical challenge in emergency response, as many lives are lost due to a lack of immediate help and basic life support knowledge.
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