The Cambodian Red Cross (CRC) in collaboration with USAID’s Greening Prey Lang Project, is providing first aid training to staff and community members in basic life-saving skills, which experts say are lacking in most parts of Cambodia.
This first aid training course was held in Preah Vihear province’s Chheb district over a two day period from January 16-17 with 22 participants, according to the CRC’s Department of Health.
Oup Puthea, director of the CRC’s First Aid Office who specialises in providing this training, told The Post on January 17 that the goal was to provide basic knowledge of first aid in case of emergencies at work or while patrolling in the forest before bringing the victim to the hospital.
He said that the community and workers in Prey Lang were at risk during medical emergencies because they did not know how to rescue patients and some rescue work involved seriously injured victims and therefore they needed to be trained to save their own lives and the lives of others.
“He is a community patrolman, so it is very risky. So, when they are trained in first aid they then have the skills to protect themselves and those around them in the community and can prevent unnecessary risks.
“This training is very important because previously they lacked this knowledge and didn’t know how to provide first aid when there was a problem. But now we have provided hands-on experience and practical theory lessons that will help him learn more about first aid,” he said.
This first aid training course was established in collaboration with the CRC and USAID Greening Prey Lang Project and it will continue to provide training to communities in Preah Vihear and Kratie provinces in the near future.
Previously, the team completed the same training for key officials and some community members in Kampong Thom and Stung Treng provinces, according to Puthea.
Puthea said that the trainers shared many methods related to first aid in the event of a fall that causes trauma to the body, especially if they break some of the body’s largest bones, which can require that the rescuers take care to avoid causing more harm to the victims while moving them.
Kem Chakrya, USAID Greening Prey Lang Officer in Preah Vihear province, attended the training and said that receiving first aid training was very beneficial to her and especially to the community.
She added that if the community did not receive this training it would lead to rescues being done incorrectly which can be dangerous for the victims.
“Because the community is far from the hospital, when we work in the forest and it’s far away in these remote areas we face greater dangers from threats such as snake bites. When we don’t have this training and we respond to an accident and try to help the victim without using the proper techniques it can lead to death,” she said.
According to Chakrya, who works directly with the community, her knowledge of first aid methods is still relatively limited and she wants to have more of this kind of training and a broader base of knowledge to share with the local people.
