Over 1,700 people have already received Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training in Heartsaver Month running from March 12-28, and there is hope of more non-medical personnel getting this free of cost training organised by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA).

‘Hands only’ compression CPR training is being offered at Dubai schools, all DHA-run Primary Health Centres, airport clinics, plus Hatta, Rashid and Latifa hospitals.

With the high incidence of cardio vascular disease (CVD) in the UAE, CPR training will save lives, according to Bindu Misbahudeen, Principal Training Officer at DHA’s medical education and research department.

“CPR training is a life saving life skill and it takes only two minutes to learn the right hand compression technique,” she said. “Last year during the Heartsaver Month, we trained 2,700 people in administering CPR and this year our target is to train 3,000 people, and we still have a week before Heartsaver Month concludes.”

Amna Al Suwaidi, Director of Medical Education and Research Department, said: “In a cardiac arrest, seconds count, provision of CPR by trained personnel before emergency professionals arrive at the scene can greatly increase a victim’s chance of survival. Hands-Only CPR is known to be as effective as conventional CPR to help cardiac arrest patients at home, at work or in public. CPR is a basic life-saving skill and we hope more people will come forward and learn this life-saving skill.”

What is CPR?
CPR is a SOS technique to revive an individual undergoing a heart attack where the heart may have momentarily stopped or the heart beat may be very faint, cutting off vital blood supply. The hands only CPR procedure involves firm chest compressions, administered in a rhythmic manner to manually revive the heart beat to restore blood circulation and breathing in the victim so as to preserve the brain functions until paramedics arrive. According to the American Heart Association, every minute CPR is delayed an individual’s chance of survival decreases by 10 per cent. When ordinary people, not just health care providers, start CPR, then individual’s chances of survival can double, or even treble.

What to do if you come across someone undergoing a cardiac episode:
* Dial 999 for emergency and paramedics to come with ambulance

* Start hand compression on the chest immediately

SOURCE : GULFNEWS