KARACHI, Jan 24: None of the medical education and training centres across the country offers recognized training in Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), a life-saving technique which requires no extraordinary funding or advanced technology.
The fact was highlighted at a workshop on Paediatrics Advance Life Support Science Update, conducted by Dr Kaukab Said, Associated Professor at the Houston University of Health Sciences, Texas. The workshop was held at the National Institute of Child Health (NICH) here on Monday.
Speakers on the occasion observed that paramedics, nurses and even many doctors had been expressing their inability to perform the technique, particularly for children.
This was in the back drop of the fact that the CPR was considered an intervention extremely essential to save a child patient's life, right from neo-nates to infants, and those above eight.
Dr Said, highlighting the significance of CPR, said that it also held extreme relevance as often the community clinics lacked the facilities available at hospitals, adding that for Advanced Life Support (ADLS), institutions needed to have needles, fluids and certain simple, as well as cost-effective, equipment.
Focussing on the significance of technique in accordance with the needs of children, she made mention of the frequently noticed instances of meconium fleeting into respiratory tract.
She said that 90 per cent of the cases requiring CPR among neo-nates and infants were linked to respiratory problems which, if inadequately handled, would lead to preventable deaths.
In this regard, she also referred to the viral infections, such as meningitis, which a new born might contract from mother and would require quick intervention.
Dehydration, due to intense vomiting among newborn and contributing to the high incidence of mortality in our part of the world was also cited a condition easily preventable through timely and proper application of CPR.
With regard to grown up children, she referred to swallowing of coins, plastic pieces, betel-nut and even whistle by kids and causing choking, difficult breathing and other complication, and said such case could be tackled effectively through the CPR. Fall from a height and other accidents were also referred as some of the conditions requiring the CPR.
She particularly urged health providers to hold proper understanding of the possible problems as in case of accidents they must have knowledge of how to stabilize neck and cervical spine so that injury did not cause paralysis.
Expert at the workshop observed that CPR training certificate was pre-requisite for all categories of health care providers seeking a licence to practice medicine or serve at any health care institutions in most parts of the world.
Senior medical professional belonging to the first batch of Sindh Medical College graduates serving in the USA for the last 22 years mentioned that she had been conducting the much required training programme for varied categories of medical professionals in Pakistan since 1993 and implemented the first programme at Civil Hospital Karachi.
This year, on the invitation of Al-Shifa Hospital, Islamabad, and Child Aid Association, NICHS, she plans to undertake the exercise which includes hands-on training, lectures and accessibility to modules helping professionals to make adequate use of the technique on both children and adults.
Dr Said emphasized positioning of hands to stabilize airway reminding the audience that open airways, easy breathing and improved circulation were the basics of the CPR. -APP
