The Gauteng Health Department plans to train community members as community first responders to assist in medical emergencies and provide care until the ambulance arrives.
The programme is a community partnership between the Gauteng Department of Health and local communities.
Zandspruit, Diepsloot and Orange Farm are going to benefit from this worthy initiative.
The plan is to train 33 candidates on 21 and 22 September at Emthonjeni Community Centre in Zandspruit, including youth and community leaders for 11 extensions.
According to Gauteng Health Department spokesperson Steve Mabona, volunteers will operate as part of an Emergency Medical Service (EMS) system from their own home or place of work.
“They will be dispatched at the same time as an ambulance via ambulance control to attend to all calls including ‘immediately life – threatening’ calls,” he said.
He also added that the department has been working hard across its regions to establish a close working partnership with communities in establishing these community first responder units.
“It is based on the belief that when there is someone in the community who has been trained in first aid and can reach the patient quickly, it makes all the difference. The volunteers can arrive at an emergency scene in a matter of minutes, as they will be responding to calls in their local area,” Mabona said.
The community of Orange farm has 20 volunteers who started their training on 9 and 10 September.
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