By: Enem Remigus
UNTH NEWS ONLINE

A three-day Basic Life Support (BLS) training program for Doctors, Nurses and other health professionals of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Ituku/Ozalla, was courtesy of the Management of the institution.

The training, which aimed at equipping Health Professionals in the hospital with basic skills geared towards resuscitating people who could come down with sudden cardiac arrest, which manifests in cessation of breathing or abnormal breathing. This usually occur as a result of cardiovascular or respiratory issues.

Speaking during an interview, The Chairman Medical Advisory Committee (C(MAC) UNTH, Prof Joy Eze, who spoke on behalf of the Chief Medical Director Prof. Obinna Onodugo, stated that the recent increase in cases of people collapsing suddenly, not just in Nigeria, but the world over, as a result of a spike in incidents of cardiac arrest, necessitated the training.

In her words: “the training is meant to teach participants the procedures for resuscitation in an emergency situation, especially cases involving cardiac arrest or sudden collapse. This was informed by recent happenings, not just in Nigeria but all-over the globe.”

Speaking further, the CMAC, who also doubles as the Director, Clinical Services and Training in the Hospital, said that the program was quite exciting and revealing, and expressed hope that more health professionals would be trained since Management intends to make the training a quarterly event.

The training, which had a limited trainees of about 20 persons per day, including some undergraduate students, had Prof. Benedict Edelu, a Professor of Paediatrics and Emergency Medicine specialist and Dr. Friday Okonna, a Consultant Anaesthetist, as facilitators.