Smile Train Sponsor Nigerian Anaesthetists on International Training in BLS, PAL

Sunday Ehigiator

With the aim of addressing the scourge cardiac arrest and ensuring Nigerian anaesthetists are up to date on global best practices while offering services to cleft patients, world largest cleft charity organisation, Smile Train, recently sponsored 24 anaesthetists on American Heart Association (AHA) training in Basic Life Support (BLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) in Lagos state.

The four days training held between November 15 and 18, 2021, hosted no fewer than 24 anaesthetists who were selected from various partnering hospitals across different states in Nigeria.

Speaking with THISDAY, a member of the facilitating team, also a Consultant Anaesthetist, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Dr. Olumide Akitoye, said the training was on resuscitation skills but certified by the American Heart Association, being organised under the umbrella of Smile Train.

According to him, “Smile Train in their magnanimity is helping to improve the standard of care in Nigeria, and thereby equipping health personnel with the skills of resuscitation.”

Speaking on the prevalence and causes of cardiac arrest, Akitoye said, “Cardiac arrest is becoming a very common scenario worldwide, and any patient can collapse at anytime, hence we need to be equipped with these skills, so we can be able to attend to the patient appropriately.

“Cardiac arrest is a medical condition known worldwide to be caused by a lack of blood supply to a part of the heart.

“It was initially very common with westerners because of their way of life, but as we all know, Africans, including Nigerians have also been westernized, even in terms of our diet. And we also don’t engage in much exercise.

“So that way, we accumulate fats. And by the time we accumulate these fats, it can also be capable of blocking some vessels that carry blood to the heart, causing shortage in blood circulation to the heart. And that’s part of what leads to cardiac arrest.

“So whenever this happens, you find the patient feeling pain in the heart because the heart isn’t getting the amount of blood supplies it ought to get. This is one of the early symptoms of cardiac arrest, and then it progresses till when you see the patient suddenly collapse.

“So in Nigeria and Africa in Nigeria, it is now a common scene for people to develop cardiac arrest suddenly in Nigeria. It happens in schools, on the road, at home etc. that is why everyone, not only the health personnel, need to be equipped with basic life support skills.”

Speaking about the training, Coordinator, American Heart Association for Smile Train, Mrs. Rona Breeze, noted that Smile Train was committed to providing safe and high quality surgery to children living with cleft lip and palate.

“In Nigeria Smile Train has built extensive collaborative partnerships with many hospitals where health professionals can provide the necessary care for these children.

“Smile Train prioritises building the capacity of these staff to provide the best care possible. As a Smile accredited training centre for the American Heart association, Smile Train is able to deliver basic and paediatric advanced life support training and certification.

“Resuscitation training is one essential element of quality care to ensure that health care providers can recognise and act if a patient’s condition deteriorates.

“These are vital skills and Smile Train is delighted to be able to impart the necessary knowledge and competence for health care providers through these courses.”

Speaking on ways to reduce the risk of developing cardiac arrest, another member of the facilitating team, also a Consultant Paediatric Anaesthesiologist, National Hospital, Abuja, Dr. Maryrose Osazuwa, said basic life support skill was a necessity for every Nigerian.

“These skills are very important because they are life saving. There are many causes of cardiac arrest; some could be due to cardiac disease, or lack of oxygen, or low blood glucose, or electrolyte derangement, etc.

“However, I’ll advise everyone to eat healthily, keep fit, do exercises every day, walk, try and avoid taking lift as much as possible, especially as you get older, try not to over feed, and avoid eating too much snacks and fatty foods, and instead eat lots of vegetables, fruits and drink much of water.

“Also try to do regular checkups, see your doctor regularly not only when you are ill,” she advised.