‘First Aid’, miracle for ailing lives

Manish Gajbhiye

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

‘First Aid’, is the preliminary assistance to the injured or faded person before administrating the actual course of major treatment. Hence, first aid has gained enormous importance and is extremely helpful to ailing persons. However there is a need for proper first aid assistance and a need to create awareness among the people for it, the experts opined.

Kits in houses and vehicles

It is always advised by the medical fraternity to keep a first aid kit in the houses and vehicles. The kit should contain a bandage, betadine ointment, paracetamol, acidity and nausea tablets, veporub, pain balm and other required articles. Nowadays, the kit also includes the sugar-level measurement instrument, oxygen level instrument and medicines for patients having comorbidities during emergency situations, as advised by the medical practitioner. A first aid kit plays an important role if any accident occurs while travelling or people get nauseous in the vehicles.

When to apply and how?

At houses, minor injuries of cuts, burns and body stretching are common. The suffering patient immediately needs medical assistance. Hence, an ointment can be used on the wound or the bandage to stop the blood flow. In case of fewer, cold water strips or tablets can be given. Scrape bandages can be used in case of fractures and swelling. If any person gets a cardiac arrest, he should be immediately administered a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) procedure to save his life. At the playgrounds, children often get wounded or suffer muscle pulls. Hence, there should be a first aid kit in their sports kits.

Need to create awareness

First aid kit is a must in houses and vehicles but people need to be educated to give proper first aid during emergencies. A first aid training workshop for nurses and policemen was organised recently. The police were told how to handle the road accident cases. If any fracture is noticed, the organ should be tied with the support of a stick. While lifting the patients, proper care should be taken to avert further damage.

- Dr Yashwant Gade, president, IMA, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

Sports persons should always have a personal kit

Children playing on the ground have the maximum risks of getting injured or of muscle pull. More often, while stretching exercises, children get a muscle pull, hence they are advised to keep a pain-relief spray or a lubricant. In case of scratches and wounds on the ground, they are asked to use bandages and cotton. Sports persons should always keep a personal first aid kit.

- Shaikh Mujahed, cricket coach