Every year since 2000, World First Aid Day has been celebrated in many countries on the second Saturday of September. It was initiated by national organizations – members of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
The purpose of providing first aid – is to carry out the necessary simple medical measures for the victim to save his life, reduce his suffering and prevent the development of possible complications. Professionally, such assistance is provided, of course, by doctors, but in addition to them, police officers and rescuers are required to have first aid techniques.
But, as life shows, situations requiring emergency care most often arise unexpectedly, in conditions of time pressure and often in the absence of people with medical education. Therefore, it is important in such situations, when every second is precious, for everyone who has become a participant, not to panic, to act quickly and decisively.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), up to 10% of all deaths and up to 15% of all disabilities occur annually worldwide due to injuries resulting from road accidents, burns, falls or drownings. Injuries and mutilations are the leading cause of death for people aged 15 to 45 and lead to tens of millions of cases of emergency visits to hospitals. For Russia, this topic is more than relevant, because according to official statistics over the past decades, injuries occupy one of the leading places among mortality and disability indicators in the country.
But it is important to remember that providing first aid to the victim is especially effective during the first, so-called «golden hour». Because it is during this period of time that the maximum compensatory functions of the human body, which has received sudden and serious damage, effectively maintain its stable state.
This is why the time factor is of great importance when providing first aid to the victim. It is believed that if a person is taken to hospital within the first hour of injury, it helps ensure their highest survival rate and significant reduction in the risk of complications from injury. Therefore, in modern social conditions, emergency medical care remains one of the decisive factors in saving the lives of people around the world.
However, an ambulance may not always arrive on time at the scene. Therefore, the ability of each of us to provide the first necessary assistance to the victim before the arrival of rescue services can play a decisive role in saving a person’s life. It is important to realize that no one is insured against accidents, and tomorrow any of us may be in the place of the victim.
Therefore, on this day, activists and employees of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and various medical and rescue organizations hold actions and consultations in different countries about the need, importance and methods of providing first aid to victims.
Postcard «World First Aid Day» Article «Battle ignorance and death»