Be sure your first aid kit is up to date
With all of the recent road accidents we remind our readers of the importance of a good first aid kit...
According to Netcare 911’s General Manager National Operations, Shalen Ramduth, everyone should take a well-stocked first aid kit along for unexpected medical emergencies when travelling.
“In a medical emergency, a well-stocked first aid kit can make a real difference, as it will serve as an interim resource until professional help arrives.
The contents of your first aid kit should also help you in dealing with minor injuries that do not require assistance from healthcare professionals such as paramedics or doctors,” he adds.
Netcare 911’s recommended first aid kit for travellers:
4 packs of sterile gauze, adhesive, hypoallergenic tape, adhesive bandages in several sizes, 2 triangular elastic bandages, crepe roller bandages – 1 large and 1 small, sterile dressings – 2 large and 2 small, burn-shield dressings of various sizes, two eye pads with bandages, pack of sterile cotton wool swabs, assorted plasters, antiseptic wipes, antibiotic cream, one pack of paracetamol tablets and liquid paracetamol, re-hydration sachets, additional supplies of prescription medication (if going away on holiday), tweezers, sharp scissors, six safety pins, face cloth, thermometer, two pairs of gloves, space blanket, torch and spare batteries and a list of emergency contact numbers e.g. ambulance, family doctor, pediatrician etc.
“Accidents can happen at any time, which is why we always advise individuals to learn first aid skills so that they know what to do in an emergency,” Ramduth adds. “Netcare Education’s Faculty of Emergency and Critical Care offers first aid courses from level one to three to the public.
These programmes cover medical, trauma and pediatric emergencies and are also ideal for people dealing with children or the infirm, equipping individuals to provide basic supportive care until healthcare professionals can take over the patient’s management.
“All South Africans should learn how to do basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), as every minute that CPR is done until paramedics arrive may help save a life – it has been shown internationally that this improves survival rates.
Netcare 911’s first aid and CPR courses are particularly valuable for parents, as nothing can be more upsetting than being unable to assist your child if he or she is in distress while you wait for medical assistance to arrive,” asserts Ramduth.
