FIRST AID AND PROMPT TRANSFER CAN SAVE LIVES

Last Friday, Mdm Lee of Cheras was on her way to work at about 8.45 am. We now know that she hailed a taxis to take her to the nearby LRT station. The taxis decided to take her somewhere else. She called her husband on the mobile frentically. The next we know was that she was stbbed, 4 times and left on the road for dead. A policeman and a passer-by saw her bleeding by the roadside. Stopped to give her " first aid " and send her to UKM hospital nearby and today she is in stable condition and will probably live. About two years ago, a young TAR college student was walking home after class with his friend, in Setapak, near the TAR college campus. He was attacked by an unknown assailant and was bleeding profusely by the roadside. His frightened friend tried to get passer-bys to help. They refused. He tried to get the residents of nearby houses ( about 10-20 metres away ) they refused. A policeman passing by decided that the boy should not be moved, until a medical person or ambulance arrive. The medical clinic was about 400meters away. At about 8pm at night, the locum doctor refuse to leave his clinic unattended. As we now know. The boy died. The nearest hospital was Ampang Puteri, about 20 mins by car. The boy could have been saved. I am writing to say that if you see someone in critical condition, make him comfortable, and arrange to have him or her, go to the nearest medical center with facilities. Dilly-dally, and wasting time can only be harmful. Many of those who collapse suddenly will die ( unfortunately ) but the best chance for survival is to make him comfortable, render first aid and send him to the nearest medical center as soon as possible. Time is critical. That is why we allow ambulances to ignore traffic rules, in order to save lives. A GP clinic is not a battlefield hospital.