Centre for training to common people in handling medical emergencies

Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Tuesday launched an initiative aimed at training the common man to respond to medical emergencies besides taking care of the elderly and sanitary issues among others.

The 'Skill for Life, Save a Life' initiative looks at creating a force of first responders, sanitary health inspectors, geriatric care assistants and home health aids.

The minister said the move is aimed at augmentation of trained healthcare workers at all levels to ensure quality and improved access to healthcare services.

India enjoys a demographic dividend as more than 65 per cent youths are below the age of 35 years and the government is determined to seize this opportunity by providing adequate skills and employability to them, he said.

Under the initiative, various courses have been designed by the National Institute of Health and Family Welfare (NIHFW) and All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. Any person, be it a teacher, student, housewife etc can enrol themselves for the training. Inaugurating the training programme of the first responder course, Nadda said in an emergency, the first few minutes are the most important for a patient and the care he or she receives in that time may help save his life.