Gvt Urges Citizens To Take Up First AID Training…As Zim Records 5000 Workplace Accidents Annually

Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister, Professor Paul Mavhima says First AID skills were critical in emergencies and it was crucial for every citizen to have basic first aid training.

By Michael Gwarisa

Speaking at the First Aid Breakfast Meeting that was hosted by the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society (ZRCS) in Harare, Minister Mavhima urged Red Cross to be more visible and to expand services beyond their usual catchment zones.

There is need for all Zimbabweans to have basic knowledge of first aid given that emergencies are a daily phenomenon. Think of Cyclone Idai for example and how desperate people where. First Aid is one of the most important factors in ensuring safe working environments, when you are faced with even life threatening incidences, it be drowning, fires, smoke inhalation and things like that.  When you don’t have first aid, you could easily lose your life so first aid is very important. Its important not just at workplaces, but also in our homes. And all such unfortunate incidences calls for us to be equipped with basic first aid skills so that we know how to respond to emergencies as they arise,” said Prof Mavhima

He added Red Cross should be everywhere and provide the skills necessary to save lives during emergencies.

“I would tell this to those in tourism, i would tell this to all the sectors of this economy that it is things like that training that you and Red Cross could give to people that could change the face of this country. Once you are visible, you change mindsets not for the benefit of your sector but for the general economy of this country.

“We want to see more and more visibility of red cross. Training should go to people, not just those who have volunteered to train but to communities as well. We want to see you in schools, in clubs, and we we want to rope you in to change the face of our suburbs. When you go to idle youths and you offer your training, you have done such a good job for that community. .”

Zimbabwe Red Cross Society Secretary General Mr Elias Hwenga said, “Every minute counts in a crisis and no matter where you are in the world, professional medical help may not always be immediately available hence by taking action through effective first aid, we can save lives.First aid is a humanitarian act, vital to supporting healthy and resilient communities. It should be accessible to everyone, everywhere without discrimination.

“The Mining and Industrial sectors have a high risk in their areas of operations hence First Aid is a key and vital component of their work.  Every worker is recommended to be trained in these lifesaving skills. At timers some employers think investing in first aid training is a waste of resources hence when disaster occurs they tend to lose lives and in most cases their skilled and experienced workers due to lack of basic lifesaving skills and knowledge.”

The Zimbabwe Red Cross Society is a first aid training service provider of choice, providing appropriate, evidence-based first aid and health care training services to all sectors in Zimbabwe. Because we strongly believe that everyone has a potential to save life, we aim to train as many people as possible in first aid in Zimbabwe as provision of First Aid and nurse aide training services is one of our key mandate aimed at saving lives.

Red Cross offers courses tailor made for industry, mining and the community at large and quality first aid education and services which are delivered according to up-to-date evidence based guidelines and best practice.

Meanwhile, giving an overview of workplace related accidents, injuries and deaths, Thembekile Dumbu, the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) Principal Occupations Safety and Health Promotion Offer said they were advocating for Zero harm in the workplace in a bid to save lives and reduce occupational hazards.

“We want to get to a point where we don’t see people getting injured in the workplaces. We are advocating for Zero fatalities, zero illness, zero incidences and accidents. There is a lot that is happening in the world of work. Global statistics in terms of the workplace accidents that occur show that about 317 million accidents occur annually in the workplaces and we are also feeding into those stats as a country.

“We are also saying 2.3 million die in the workplaces every year. 6300 workers die in workplaces everyday. We  have 153 workers who get injured every day. In every one second, we have got a worker who dies as a result of occupational hazards. In terms of our local statistics as Zimbabwe, we actually have an average of about 5000 accidents that occur in the world of work here in Zimbabwe and some of them are not even reported,” said Dumbu.

 

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