In honour of World Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Day, the National Ambulance Service (NAS) has given basic life support training to nearly 200 pupils.
The methods included conducting cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and contacting 911 for an ambulance while inspecting the scene and making sure the unconscious person was breathing.
The pupils, who were selected from the Bishop's Mixed School, also received instruction on the tools used in ambulances and the routine emergency procedures performed by medical professionals.
EMT Day
Yesterday in Accra, a festival with the theme "Where emergency care begins" was conducted to honour those who work so hard to provide emergency medical services and to raise awareness of their vital role in lifesaving.
The yearly event gave the general public a chance to learn about the scope of EMS's work and the crucial role its employees play in the advancement of the country.
Simmons Yussif Kewura, the National Ambulance Service's Deputy Director in Charge of Public Relations, stated that EMS personnel comprised emergency medical technicians, paramedics, fire fighters, and law enforcement officials working in the course of their professions.
He described the staff's role as providing immediate pre-hospital care, stabilising patients with significant illnesses and injuries, and transferring them to appropriate care.
"Whether an accident, a national emergency, or a terrorist act, the EMS works quickly and efficiently to save lives," he said.
He mentioned that as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR), the Bishop's Mixed School was chosen.
Since kids may learn quickly and pass along information to their parents and friends on what to do in case of a cardiac emergency, he continued, "We chose to mark the day with the schoolchildren."
Despite being observed on a global scale over the years, Mr. Kewura said that the event was a first for the nation.
He said that his group will observe the day across the nation next year in order to raise awareness of fundamental EMS procedures.
Additionally, he made the suggestion that a week-long celebration honouring dedicated medical professionals would take place the following month.
However, the deputy director requested that the media spread information about EMS across the nation to assist in educating the general public on basic life support techniques.
Medical Service
The May 9 disaster at the Accra Sports Stadium, when roughly 129 people perished in 2001, led to the creation of the ambulance service, according to Nathaniel Essoun Amoah, the head of the Ridge Ambulance Station.
According to him, "the government recognised the need to establish an emergency response service to contain such eventualities."
Adding that there are presently 297 ambulance stations around the nation, along with 16 dispatch centres, he stated that the NAS was founded in 2004 with seven stations in Accra, Kumasi, and the Eastern Region.
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