GOLDEN CHANCE: Aparajitha Corporate Services Managing Director Bharath K.S. delivering the inaugural address at the training camp on World First Aid Day in Madurai on Tuesday.

MADURAI: A training programme on first aid was indispensable and, from a common man's perspective, it not only provided vital information on things that needed to be done in case of an accident but also sensitised to the importance of the person on spot, said Bharath K. S., former Chairman, Confederation of Indian Industry, Madurai Zone.

Delivering the inaugural address at the training camp on World First Aid Day organised at Devadoss Multispecialty Hospital (DMH) by Young Indians (Yi) Madurai chapter, he said that the first hour after the trauma, which was referred to as the golden hour, was crucial as an early intervention through first aid not only provided victims greater chances of survival but also reduced the severity of injury. Mr. Bharath requested the ‘Yi' to make this training programme an on-going programme and look if First Aid Groups could be established in colleges to make them involve more for the social cause. He said that students and auto drivers could make a lot of difference if they involved themselves in spreading awareness of first aid.

Speaking earlier, K. Nagaraj, Chairman, Yi, Madurai Chapter, said that the programme evolved out of the discussions Yi had with Collector and during the next phase it would be taken to State Transport Corporation employees and traffic police.

Sathish Devadoss, Member, Healthcare Panel, CII, and Managing Director, DMH, said that a basic knowledge about the dos and don'ts during an emergency like accident was necessary.

He also said that studies elsewhere had shown that proper training on primary aspects of first aid and its use had resulted in effective reduction of loss of lives and disability.

Hema Sathish, Chairman, Healthcare Panel, CII, said that the members involved in the training programme should put to use the knowledge which was being gained here in cases of emergency. A. Devadoss, Director, DMH, was also present.