First aid training kicks off in Algeria

Algerians seek to hone their emergency assistance skills through a massive new program.

By Hayam El Hadi for Magharebia in Algiers – 29/11/10

Algeria launched a large-scale campaign to educate the public on life-saving efforts. The first aid instruction, which began on Tuesday (November 23rd), aims to provide volunteers with the basic techniques to save victims of road, natural disaster and domestic accidents.

According to the information committee of the disaster and emergency services that organized the campaign, "this training in emergency care and assistance for victims can be vital in many cases, especially when road accidents and disasters happen."

"The goals of this initiative are firstly to teach people first aid and emergency care techniques, then to provide them with skills to save lives, and finally to foster a culture of prevention within society that could help avoid fatalities in the event of an accident or major disaster, or at least to reduce their number by using the acquired knowledge," the committee said.

Though the three-session, 15-day drill is available to the general public, it primarily targets charities, district committees and professionals who are most likely to deal with potential victims directly. These include taxi and bus drivers as well as hauliers who travel long distances and regularly witness road accidents that cause multiple casualties.

Professional first-aid workers who work for intervention organizations affiliated with the disaster and emergency services are responsible for providing the training.

"I have always thought that everyone should know how to help prevent injured people from dying. In my job, unfortunately, I come across road accidents all too often," Mourad Henni, a taxi driver who has signed up for the drill, told Magharebia.

"Because I don't have any medical knowledge, I often find myself not knowing what to do when I see injured people. In many cases, I simply comfort them without daring to offer any real help other than giving them water to drink. The training I will receive will make me feel useful. My efforts to intervene will be targeted and based on sounder knowledge. I'm very happy about this," he added.

Malika Meriben, a housewife and mother-of-two, said: "As soon as I heard about this training, I became interested. I think everyone should know the basic steps to take and teach them to the people around them."

"I would regret standing idly by if I witnessed an accident or if one of my children fell over or got hurt. I hope that this training will also be extended to the youngest in society, who need to take a more active role," she said.

Source: Magharebia.com.
Link: http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2010/11/29/feature-01.