Lack of knowledge about BLS has caused a lot of deaths – Gifty Tepperh
Miss Gifty Dela Tepperh, an emergency nurse and BLS (basic life support) instructor from Pennsylvania, USA, who is now working at Accra’s first American specialty medical centre, has issued a warning to motorists ahead of the holiday season.
In an interview with journalist, she noted that the roads become congested around the Christmas season, and drivers do not take their time on the road at this time. She also discussed what they need to do in the event of a collision to avoid fatalities.
She stated that most accidents do not kill, but a lack of awareness about what to do during accidents has resulted in the premature loss of innocent lives due to a lack of knowledge about basic life support (BLS).
She stated that, while not precisely a nurse or other health practitioner, anyone may learn basic life support on how to handle an injured person during an accident, such as applying CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), which can help save a life during cardiac arrest when the heart stops beating or beats too ineffectively to circulate blood to the brain and other vital organs.
She continued that “if someone with epilepsy disease triggers while the motor vehicle is in motion, drivers must stop and make sure the victim has a cloth or something at the back of the head to prevent hitting the head on something that can cause trauma and bleeding.”
Additionally, such individuals need a lot of air, so at that point in time, there’s no need for people to be crowded over the person to aid him or her in returning to normal mode early; otherwise, it can lead to something different.”
Miss Tepperh went on to clarify that this may happen anywhere, including malls, banks, churches, vehicles, cinemas, and other locations, but the majority of the incidents we record in the country are motor accidents, which is why she has focused on them.
She highlighted that a driver can drive carelessly, and a passenger with high blood pressure may feel uneasy due to the driver’s frightening demeanour, which can lead to something bad, such as fainting.
In such a case, you must first check to see if the individual is breathing, and if not, you must begin CPR until aid arrives.
“It is my passion to teach my fellow Ghanaians how to provide proper support in the event of an accident in order to avert death.”
She went on to say that the National Road Safety Authority, DVLA, GPRTU, and other transport and institutions should incorporate basic life support into the system by educating drivers since it will allow us to save each other’s lives.
Meanwhile, she stated that she is always willing to work with other organisations to provide basic life support education to drivers and ordinary Ghanaians.
Story By: Kamal Ahmed
