According to experts, when it comes to first aid, a victim’s situation can be saved or worsened in a few minutes depending on the intervention done within that critical time.
As such, life-saving techniques should be embraced in case of emergencies; such as drowning, accidents, heart attacks, bleeding, burns, electrocution, suffocation, and et cetera.
It would be wise for everyone to be trained in this because medical doctors ascertain that most emergency cases happen in the absence of medical doctors and take place outside the hospital.
According to Prince Rwagasore, a doctor at Nyamata District Hospital, plenty of patients die because people around them are not aware of what to do instantly when they collapse. "By the time they are taken to hospital, there is less opportunity to be rescued,” he says.
Dr Rwagasore adds that it doesn’t require one to be a medical expert in order to save a life, as basic information is needed for anyone to do it.
First and foremost, when a patient seems to be unable to breathe properly, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) should be done, according to King Irambona, a doctor at Rwanda Military Hospital.
"This comprises of chest compressions, which generate small but critical amounts of blood to the heart and brain. Someone doing CPR should do it until the heart rhythm comes back, and it is a very systematic activity which is very demanding in terms of personnel. However, if not done properly, it can cause rib fracture,” he says.
He says that the reason why this should be done is to awaken the heart. When they are in this situation, most of the time, the heart is in ‘sleep’ mode and one needs to do something that will help it to start working again.
Bleeding
Dr Irambona says that another common condition that needs emergency care is bleeding following an accident or a cut.
"Here you need compressive dressing. This compression is to help stop the bleeding. This can be done with a well-cleaned piece of cloth to apply pressure on the bleeding area,” he says.
If the bleeding is uncontrollable, Irambona recommends the use of a tourniquet.
Shock
Shock occurs due to low blood pressure. According to medics, when someone faints and pulp veins are very weak, shock is identified.
Irambona explains that the victim should be laid down, but the legs should be elevated to allow blood to circulate to the vital organs, such as the heart and brain.
In case of a heart attack, he explains that the person feels chest pain and recommends people nearby to remove tight clothes, if any, and call the ambulance instantly.
Burns
Concerning burns, Rwagasore says people tend to put around the affected area other dangerous things that can actually lead to infections or other complications.
He points out that some people put sugar or rabbit fur; but cautions that this shouldn’t be done anyway.
"When one suffers a burn, applying cold water is recommended. In case of blisters, water can still work but it is advisable not to interfere with the blister,” says Rwagasore.
Ignace Kabagema, a medic with a 12 years’ experience, working with the Ministry of Health’s department of emergency medical services, tells The New Times that first aid is support before professionals take over, this includes providing oxygen, curing heart failure and covering wounds. If not done, one might encounter a complete heart failure, suffocation and even excessive bleeding.
He recommends prioritising intervention needed to save the victim. "Anyone with such a problem must report in less than an hour. We, therefore, ask people to alert us on time as long as it is a serious case,” he says.
He also raises concerns of traffic jam that ambulances normally face, because as he states, most drivers are not even willing to prioritise ambulances. The government of Rwanda keeps prioritising emergent medical services. Rwanda currently has 273 ambulances used for related cases.