Bohol assures "safer tourism"

equips CPR for stakeholders

TAGBILARAN CITY, April 6 (PIA)--Not only is Bohol preparing for the onslaught of tourists who could be denied of the opportunity to bask in the country's closed beaches, it is also preparing to equip its tourism stakeholders for a quick life support skill that could mean the life and death of people.

With people now more inclined to the lifestyle that brings in unhealthy consequences, around 50% of cardiac arrest cases and drowning end in death due to untimely medical intervention, according to Philippine Heart Association Past President and CPR Ready Philippines Adviser, Dr. Alex Junia during the Basic Life Support Training held April 6 at the ACE Medical Center in Mansasa District.

In Bohol, cases of tourists in cardiac arrests and drowning incidents may not be that high yet, but getting tourism stakeholders the basic life support (BLS) skills can spell life or death, Bohol BLS training convenor Dr. Jane Ramiro said.

Governor Edgar Chatto, who spoke during the opening program stressed that knowledge in Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is already a life-saver as it can be done by anyone properly trained.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Philippine Heart Association College of Cardiology  along with the Province of Bohol and the Bohol Chapter of the Philippine College of Physicians brings in to Bohol stakeholders the BLS training with one goal in mind: get everyone saving lives through properly performed CPR for cardiac arrest patients and mouth to mouth resuscitation for drowning victims.  

At the training were medical practitioners: doctors and nurses, emergency medical service personnel, rescue personnel, barangay health workers, youth volunteers, athletes and media in to be trained and learn how to properly perform the life saving intervention.

Also scheduled for training were resort personnel, lifeguards, organic resort and hotel staff as well as other tourism stakeholders, volunteers and sports enthusiasts who were also introduced on the correct use of the Automated External Defibrillator (AED).

A defibrillator is a portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses the life threatening heart beat anomalies by treating them with the application of electric shock to disrupt the arrhythmia to allow the hart to pick on the effective rhythm.

Most patients who do not survive a cardiac arrest could have been saved had a proper CPR been administered by a properly trained personnel, PHA president Dr. Jorge Sison bared.

Stressing on the need for a competently trained personnel or lay, Dr Sison explained that not all cases of a person dropping dead needs CPR.

You do not use a CPR of the patient is breathing, always check on the pulse and immediately call for help to make sure that an ambulance or an emergency service professional can take over the task.

After ascertaining all that, deliver the CPR, the new PHA head reminded everyone during the training.

   

If the patient is unconscious and without any pulse, take note of the following guides: compression, airway and breathing.

While the other method was always Airway, Breathing and Circulation, Dr. Sison said check on the compression, airway and breathing.

The other motive for the training is to get at least 5,000 people in Bohol who can perform proper CPR or mouth to mouth resuscitation in the beginning minutes of the attack, as this could be the crucial minutes of saving a life.

Through this, the Philippines can move closer to its goal of making the country CPR Ready by 2022, PHA said. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

Even if one is trained to do CPR, it is still important to call for medical professional who can take over and do the after care, PHA authorities training tourism stakeholders Basic Life Support remind everyone during the CPR demonstration  at the ACE medical center. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)