North Rupununi Residents trained in Wilderness First Aid and CPR

DPI/GINA, GUYANA, Tuesday, 13, June, 2017

Sixty one (61) persons are now certified with basic first aid skills after a two day training conducted by the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA). The training was conducted at the Bina Hill Institute from June 10 to 11, 2017. Participants from surrounding communities including Rewa Village, Annai, Massara Village, Yupukari Village, Apoteri Village, Surama Village, Crash Water Village, Kwatamang and Wowetta Village participated in the training.

According to the GTA, the two-day introduction to general medical concepts and basic life support skills targeted outdoor enthusiast on day trips or short adventures, tour guides, community medics and Interior Lodges and Resorts representatives.

The course aims to improve the treatment given to ill or injured persons staying in remote Interior Lodges or Resorts, where definitive care by a physician and/or rapid transport is not readily available.

The course was conducted by instructor and Registered Nurse Marcian Gravesande and covered topics including, Patient Assessment System, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), Circulatory System, Nervous System, Respiratory System, fractures, stable injuries; splints; wounds and burns, lifting, moving extrication, patient carries among other areas.

Nurse Gravesande said the course goes far beyond “first aid”. She noted that it contains substantial medical information and teaches skills required for medical emergencies in the wild, the deeper purpose is to train participants to manage acute situations. Nurse Gravesande said, “the bottom line is this, better decision-making at the incident scene miles from medical base facilities can save valuable time and human resources”.

In 2017 the Guyana Tourism Authority set in their work plan to train Training and build the capacity of 1000 persons in the Tourism Industry. To date a total of 585 persons have been trained.

 

By: Gabreila Patram