EVENT REPORT : BASIC LIFE SUPPORT WORKSHOP by IFMSA KEMU LC in collaboration with RESCUE 1122

BY: HUDA AKHTAR &HOORIA SHUMAIL

FIRST-YEAR MBBS

“There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.”

At this age of immense scientific development and technological discoveries, man has been trapped in the disastrous side effects that accompany the poise and confit related to various inventions and lead to carelessness and tragedies. This is why we come across news based upon deaths due to roadside accidents, electrical shocks, falls from height and several other miserable events. Most imminent but distressing and vexatious truth is that most of these agonising deaths can be prevented if the traumatised person is attended while considering the rules of Basic Life Support but most of our people lack this knowledge.

Pondering upon the thoughts that above statements describe, IFMSA Local Council, KEMU decided to organise Basic Life Support Workshop in collaboration with Rescue 1122 which is the leading Emergency Humanitarian Service of Pakistan.

The first phase of workshop was held on 14th and 15th May, 2015 in Old Auditorium, King Edward Medical University from 12 pm to 4 pm. The second phase is due in the month of June. Registrations were started a week before and 80 students of Final Year MBBS and AHS Final Year were registered during the first phase of this workshop. A team of Rescue 1122 comprising of Head of Community Safety Wing and two Community Instructors were invited for this purpose.

DAY 1: First day of this workshop i.e. 14th May, 2015 was specified for demonstrations of CPR by the instructors applicable to Adult men, women, infants and handling of roadside accidents. Sir Khalid Masood Gondal, Regional Director and Councillor CPSP, was invited as the chief guest.

The program started with the recitation of Holy Quran by Maryam Sarwar and Naat by Dua Noor.

The presenter Izzah Bazigh then invited Sir Khalid Masood Gondal who gave his thoughts on the event and said that he was pleased to have the Rescuer Team to this University. He, then announced that the top twelve scorers of the final assessment of BLS Workshop will be able to attend International BLS Workshop that increased the zest among the learners. This address ended with a big round of applause.

The event proceeded with the distribution of shields to Rescue Team, Sir Khalid Masood Gondal, Arfa Ahmad (President IFMSA KEMU LC), Aleesha Kainat, Hamza Arshad, Isma Iftikhar, Awais Ahmad, Khawar Abbas, Khawar Sana, Moiz Tahir, Hafiz Syed Zaigham Shah, Izzah Bazigh and other executive members of IFMSA KEMU LC.

At about 1:30pm, the instructors demonstrated the students with the basic methods of CPR and the proper ways to manage traumas in pre-hospital situations. It was followed by a video illustrating various steps of CPR.

The first day of this event ended at about 4pm preceded by practical by the learners.

DAY 2: Second day of Basic Life Support Workshop i.e. 15th May, 2015 was aimed for demonstration of handling patients with Spinal Injury in places where medical facilities are unavailable and assessment of the learners.

At 12pm, Event continued with Recitation of Holy Qur'an and Naat followed by a video showing the considerate, sympathetic, and selfless services carried out by Rescue 1122. Afterwards, demonstration and an assessment comprising of practical and written test was held.

The event ended with a group photo, refreshments and a thank you note to the rescuer team and the team behind this event consisting of Hamza Arshad who managed the event from the start till the end, Aleesha Kainat, Isma Iftikhar, Fatima Rizwan, and Dua Noor who shared the workload managing the registration lists, registration desk and others. Awais Ahmed did a brilliant work with shields and printing stuff. Khawar Abbas handled all the presentations. Izzah Bazigh did the compering and Nimra Pasha did coverage of the event perfectly. Organisers from 1st Year MBBS, Huda Akhtar, Kanza Syed, Hooria Shumail, Hafsa Aman, Hafiza Maryam Sarwar and Mishal Ijaz stayed and managed the hall and participants.

Summarising the event in the words of a learner: 'I am highly obliged to have attended Basic Life Support Workshop. It was indeed a very well organised and well managed event. We got to learn the inevitable Methods of Basic Life Support in a very constructive way. The Moto of Rescue 1122 'Prevention, Preparation and Response' was very well promoted. I hope that IFMSA KEMU LC continues carrying out such useful and productive events in future too'.