Trauma is a major cause of death and disability in South Africa resulting in as many as 70 000 deaths per year with another 3.5 million people requiring some form of health care as a result of trauma- related injuries and complications.
“Not many people would know what to do if they were faced with a medical emergency where a person goes into cardiac arrest or stops breathing for example. The actions taken during these critical moments are crucial when it comes to potentially saving an individual’s life,” comments Mande Toubkin, general manager emergency, trauma, transplant and corporate social investment at Netcare.
While there are a number of world-class emergency facilities with doctors and trauma professionals who provide excellent care to victims of trauma in South Africa, Toubkin believes that there is a need for a more proactive approach in dealing with the problem of trauma by way of education and awareness campaigns.
In an attempt to educate more South Africans about what to do in an emergency situation, Netcare hospitals throughout the country will be launching the “Save a Life Day” campaign to commemorate World Trauma Day on 17 October. “The aim of this campaign is to teach the general public about the correct way to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, more commonly referred to as CPR, and the most appropriate manner to handle an emergency situation,” says Toubkin.
“Qualified staff will be demonstrating basic CPR procedures and we warmly invite the public to attend these training sessions and learn how to potentially save a life and prevent someone from becoming another trauma statistic,” she says.
The following hospitals have pledged their support to commemorating World Trauma Day by hosting special demonstrations and events at their facilities:
- Netcare Alberlito
- Netcare Bouganville
- Netcare Christiaan Barnard Memorial
- Netcare Ferncrest
- Netcare Garden City
- Netcare Kingsway
- Netcare Linmed
- Netcare Margate
- Netcare Milpark
- Netcare Montana
- Netcare Mulbarton
- Netcare Olivedale
- Netcare Parklands
- Netcare Pretoria East
- Netcare Rand
- Netcare St Annes
- Netcare St Augustines
- Netcare Sunninghill
- Netcare Sunward Park
- Netcare The Bay
- Netcare Umhlanga
- Netcare Union
- Netcare Vaalpark
- Netcare Waterfall City
Some of the hospitals participating in the event such as Netcare Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital in Cape Town will not only be demonstrating basic CPR procedures but emergency personnel and doctors at the hospital will also be giving a guided tour through the emergency department and explaining the patient’s journey from arrival to discharge. Guests attending the event will also be given first-hand knowledge of how the Electronic Triage System works.
“We also want to use this opportunity to encourage the public to use the Netcare Assist app, which can be downloaded for free from Apple’s App Store South Africa and the Android market,” says Toubkin. The app allows users to call Netcare’s emergency medical service, Netcare 911, with just a single swipe of the finger.
“In a matter of seconds the Netcare Assist App allows you to find the contact details for the nearest Netcare hospital, Netcare pharmacy and Medicross Family Medical and Dental Centre. In an emergency situation you can use the app’s First Aid Assist functionality, which provides information on how to handle a variety of emergencies such as choking or a heart attack.
Audio clips and information are accompanied by photographs illustrating the appropriate steps and actions to be taken are integrated into the app. Medical data that could be vital to emergency services personnel or doctors treating you in a life-threatening situation can be inserted into the Personal Emergency Actions Manager feature,” explains Toubkin.
“Netcare is committed to tackling the very real challenges posed by trauma in this country. It is imperative that there is greater emphasis placed on the immediate treatment of trauma through education and on site treatment. The Netcare “Save a Life Day” is just one of the ways we are endeavouring to do this,” concludes Toubkin.
Ends
Issued by : Martina Nicholson Associates (MNA) on behalf of Netcare
Contact : Martina Nicholson, Graeme Swinney, Sarah Beswick or Jillian Penaluna
Telephone : (011) 469 3016
Email : [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] or
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