Instructor calls for first aid in driving tests
Onalenna Kelebeile | Friday December 7, 2018 13:47
Michael Seleka is a trained first aider who volunteers his services in schools, other institutions and even public transport operators and drivers about first aid.
He says that it is crucial for drivers to know first aid basics because they are mainly the ones transporting patients and injured people to health facilities.
He said experience drivers can save lives if they are equipped with knowledge of what to do under those circumstances.
This week, Seleka in conjunction with the Department of Road Transport Services conducted free first aid lessons to public transport drivers in Selebi-Phikwe ahead of the public holidays.
He added that though there are no official records of patients who have lost lives as a result of lack of basic knowledge by those transporting them to health facilities, it is crucial to equip drivers.
His journey to embark of free first aid training started in Selebi-Phikwe and beyond.
He has conducted trainings at Reuben Mpabanga Primary School, Selebi-Phikwe Senior Secondary School, Matshekge Secondary School in Bobonong, Molalatau and Mosetha secondary schools as well various transport and safety committees and wellness committees.
“I have realised that people know nothing about first aid and with the knowledge I share with them, they are going to do what is expected of them and even share it further. Others continue to uphold traditional believes such as smearing shoe polish and fermented sorghum paste on burns, but I teach them the right ways of treating burns.
I wish government could include first aid basic knowledge in the school curriculum so that people are equipped from an early age to save lives before the arrival of the Emergency Medical Services,” he said.
He added that government must emphasise that all departments must have skilled first aiders. He said that he is often called even after working hours to assist those in need of first aid before they are taken to health facilities.
He cited one incident in which he found a horrible car accident between Sefhophe and Bobonong in which a car rolled leaving the three passengers experiencing serious loss of blood.
“I immediately arrested the bleeding and they all survived. At the rate at which they were bleeding they could not have survived had it not been for the application of first aid.
I have saved a lot of lives in accidents through application of first aid where lives were compromised ,” he said.
Seleka also said bystanders are also important at accident scenes because they can be assigned duties,but at the same time they can be uncontrollable hence deterring effective application of first aid.
He said if they are equipped with knowledge, bystanders would know what is expected of them once there is an accident.
“If they make noise, then it becomes difficult to reassure the casualty while others immediately rush to loot those involved in accidents. Many of them do not carry equipment such as surgical gloves,” he said.
Seleka started his first aid training in 2014 at BCL when the mine trained all Selebi-Phikwe government hospital drivers on Level 1 and then realised that he has a passion for it. The senior administration officer then continued with other stages with Red Cross Society where he then realised he could become an instructor. He later enrolled with the Red Cross Society in South Africa in 2016 and qualified to be an instructor. This year he went back to attain Level 2 which he completed in June.
He also did life support in-service training here in Selebi-Phikwe as well as advanced fire-fighting in Nevana Training Academy in South Africa.
It is through these trainings that he also developed a passion for snake handling and pursued it through the South African Institution of Snakes to become a fully qualified snake handler.
Seleka is now moving towards commercialising his experience and is already working on registering a school.
He is currently undergoing accreditation processes. “Everyone would be free to enrol.
Even house helpers are obliged to undergo first aid training because they remain with the kids and elderly most of the times,” he said.