More than half of all caregivers looking after the elderly here
do not know the right number to dial in the event of a medical
emergency, a health report has said.
Shanghai?Putuo District?public health department was
so concerned with the results of a survey it conducted recently
that it has launched a first aid training program, which it hopes
to roll out across the city next year.
Many elderly people in Shanghai are looked after by caregivers,
who are paid to clean and cook. But very few of them know anything
about first aid, Zhu Ping, an official with the health department
told China Daily.
"A lot of elderly people rely on maids because they live apart
from their families," she said.
The survey of about 3,700 caregivers showed most of them would
not know what to do if the person they were looking after suffered
a stroke, was poisoned by gas, received an electric shock, or was
involved in a fire.
"More than half of them thought 119 was the correct phone number
to dial in a medical emergency," Zhu said, "but actually, it is
120."
Also, she said that more than half of those who did call the
right number tended to just cry for help then hang up without
telling the operator their address or details of what had
happened.
Almost half of those surveyed did not know they should open a
window for ventilation in the event of a gas leak, Zhu said.
The first phase of training has begun with a group of 22 maids
working in the Urban Oasis Garden community.
"According to its three-year plan for community healthcare,
authorities in Shanghai plan to run the training course in
communities throughout the municipality," Zhu said.
Professor Lu Yiming from Ruijin Hospital said in any emergency
situation, the first five minutes are critical.
However, it is almost impossible for emergency vehicles to
arrive in this "golden five minutes", he said, so it is vital that
someone on the scene is able to perform first aid.
Zhu said the principal aim of the first aid campaign is to
provide better care for the elderly. "Many elderly people have
accidents and medical emergencies," she said.
(China Daily November 29, 2007)