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'Swasthya-Doot' Project: Nicobar Administration Trains Residents To Deal With Medical Emergencies, Know More
Writer: Hardik Bhardwaj
He is a student of SIMC, who is organized and able to meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands, 16 Jan 2023 9:10 AM GMT
Editor : Shiva Chaudhary |
A post-graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication with relevant skills, specialising in content editing & writing. I believe in the precise dissemination of information based on facts to the public.
Creatives : Shiva Chaudhary
A post-graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication with relevant skills, specialising in content editing & writing. I believe in the precise dissemination of information based on facts to the public.
The new initiative is a community-based volunteer training programme undertaken by Nitin Shakya, SDM, Great Nicobar. Under it, the health team instructs local villagers on the appropriate treatment of health emergencies.
In an empowering and inclusive step, the Nicobar district administration has launched a programme to educate locals on handling medical emergencies on a remote island. The new initiative is part of the 'Swasthya-Doot' project, a community-based volunteer programme undertaken by Nitin Shakya, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Great Nicobar.
It began after a phone call that woke Shakya up early in October last year. The call was from a government employee informing him of a medical emergency at the isolated Campbell Bay settlement of Makachua, where one of the people became ill after his heart had stopped beating.
A Phone Call That Started 'Swasthya-Doot'
Makachua is a remote island located 90 nautical miles away from Indonesia and can only be accessed by a speedboat, which takes around 4-5 hours to reach from Cambell Bay. The caller told Shakya that the police radio communication system—the only means of getting in touch with the residents of the isolated village—was how the SOS was received, reported The Print.
The patient required immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR); however, the villagers of Makachua were unfamiliar with the procedure and did not know about handling such a situation. The Assistant Commissioner's office quickly took action and used their limited resources to save the person's life, despite facing significant challenges.
Shakya said, "It was then I conceptualised the idea of creating an army of Swasthya Doot to strengthen the healthcare facility in such a remote place here in Great Nicobar".
An Essential Community-Based Training Programme
According to Shakya, the initiative is a community-based volunteer training programme where the health team instructs local villagers on the appropriate treatment of health emergencies such as accidents, drowning, snake bites, fever, measles, burn injuries, etc.
The training is essential for dealing with medical emergencies and natural disasters in remote places in India. Over 100 individuals have been educated on managing medical emergencies and disasters such as the Heimlich Maneuver for choking, CPR, evacuating during a tsunami, severe weather, crocodile/snake attacks, and earthquakes. Special training camps have been established in various locations, including Campbell Bay, Afra Bay, Pulo-Ulan, Pulo-Bhabi, Pulo Patia, and Makachua.
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