Elijeko Foundation prioritises training of more Community CPR Instructors

A Non-Profit Health Organization based in Ghana; Elijeko Foundation is on the move to initiate Trainers Training for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Instructors.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is a lifesaving hands-only technique that is useful in many emergencies, such as a heart attack particularly where someone’s breathing or heartbeat has stopped.

This hands-only CPR applies to both untrained bystanders and first responders.

This was revealed during a CPR Training workshop held in Kumasi for some selected professionals who are members of the Kumasi Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industries in the Ashanti Region.

According to the Country Director of Elijeko Foundation, Celestina Kalor Abapiri, it has become necessary to train more people from different locations in Ghana to augment the skill of saving lives under Emergency circumstances especially issues relating to heart attacks.

Elijeko Foundation plans to undertake this project in partnership with the US-based Global Mission Readiness, a non-profit organization that provides emergency services education and resources to public safety agencies worldwide.

“Selected community volunteers will be trained on Emergency Medical Services, Basic Water Rescue Training, Rope Rescue and Vehicle Extrication through partnership with organizations like Global Mission Readiness and other fire departments in the United States and Canada,” Celestina Kalor Abapiri indicated.

She added “when we recently launched the Pre-Hospital Emergency Training in Kumasi, it became necessary that we focus on “train the trainer” programs so that more people will be trained to provide bystander CPR education in their local communities to help other acquire this critical health and basic lifesaving skills.

Currently in Ghana, there is limited number of CPR Instructors, so Elijeko Foundation has taken it upon itself to train more people.

We are going to train not necessarily only medical professionals but other persons with little or no knowledge at all about CPR matters,” the Elijeko Country Director explained.

On his part, the Chief Executive Officer of Elijeko Foundation, Mr. Andrews Kwabena Nyantakyi added that his organization has worked with Global Mission Readiness in previous years to train NADMO volunteers and first responders in Afigya Kwabre District, Sekyere Afram Plains and Bosomtwe Constituency.

He added that Elijeko Foundation has opened discussions with Global Mission Readiness to help develop the “train the trainer” concept so that many can receive information needed to provide effective CPR intervention, and the foundation plans to send some selected individuals to the United States for future training.

Mr. Nyantakyi also disclosed that a U.K based bookseller called AwesomeBooks has pledged to support Elijeko Foundation’s efforts to ensure that everyone in Ghana is equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to intervene in medical emergencies.

Commenting on the said partnership, Miss Sannah Maan who is the Head of Impact and Giving on behalf of AwesomeBooks said her company has worked closely with Mr. Nyantakyi since 2011 in Ghana to donate books to schools in the Ashanti Region and is excited to support Elijeko Foundation’s initiative to make healthcare knowledge accessible to Ghanaians.

One of the beneficiaries of Elijeko Foundation’s CPR initiative was the Operations Manager, at Prudential Bank Adum Branch in Kumasi, Mr. Kwaku Sarpong.

He was optimistic and appreciated Elijeko Foundation saying that he believes the CPR training will go a long way to help save lives.

He also encouraged and urged the organizers, Elijeko Foundation for this laudable periodic workshop program.

“This training is indeed an eye-opening program to CPR because it is not common and also not something we teach in our various schools. It’s very important because with that little knowledge, you can save some lives at least,” Mr. Kwaku Sarpong emphasized.

He added that this training is very important because it basically taught about what to do as a first aid to every emergency before you call for help.”

“I would also like to encourage and appeal to Elijeko Foundation to provide this training to the public in partnership with the Ghana Red Cross Society and the Ghana media to create more awareness on the CPR Training to save more lives.

He welcomed Elijeko Foundation’s intention to continue with the training and charged them to hold more of such events in at least once a year nationwide across all institutions.

Another beneficiary, Madam Leticia Otchere-Larbi, a Teacher at KNUST Senior High School (SHS) shared her experiences after the training.

“This Elijeko Foundation CPR training workshop has been very useful to my students. The Training was very helpful to the school because this was the second time.

The workshop taught the students about resuscitation and how to give first aid to patients even if there is no ambulance or nurse around.

I commend them to continue with in other schools for them to gain knowledge about CPR program. I appeal to Elijeko that this workshop should continue at least twice every semester and I know and believe it will be very beneficial for students and the community at large,” Madam Leticia stated.

She also admonished and tasked Elijeko Foundation to provide further education to teachers and adults in their next training workshop as well as undertake some other useful health programs apart from resuscitation.

Source: newsghana.com.gh