ISLAMABAD: Emergency medical technicians’ (EMTs) role is vital in emergency cases such as cardiac arrest, as a patient can survive if he is provided specialized medical assistance in first five minutes.

In the developed countries, presence of EMTs is ensured to provide best possible treatment in ambulances to keep the patient alive while shifting him to the hospital.

In Pakistan, the trained staff has been introduced in ambulances for the first time when a batch of 30 graduates passed out after receiving theoretical and practical training in saving the patients in ambulances

An Irish team at Red Crescent National Ambulance Service College (NASC), which was established in 2015, provided them training.

The Vice Chancellor NASC Dr Mubashir Hussain Malik, after the passing out ceremony, while talking to Dawn said last year a delegation of National Services Ambulance College, Dublin (Ireland) headed by Dr Shane Knox visited Pakistan and offered to assist in establishing the EMT training colleges and initiated one-year training programme in which students from across the country offered admissions,” he said. While replying to a question Dr Malik said a patient could survive if he gets trained health expert assistance in the ambulance.

Dr Shane Knox, who was also present in the passing out ceremony, said that he was quite impressed by the skills of Pakistani students as all the students cleared the exam.

He expressed the hope that the graduates would play their role in saving the lives of patients in emergencies.

One of the graduates Maleeha Khalid, while talking to Dawn, said initially she and other four female students lacked confidence but the Irish team gave us much confidence. “Now we can handle the patients outside the hospitals,” she said.

Pakistan Red Crescent Secretary General Ghulam Mohammad Awan while addressing the participants said more colleges will be established in the country because EMTs could play vital role in saving the lives.

Published in Dawn December 3rd, 2016