Kochi, August 22, 2024 – Aster Medcity celebrated the 2nd anniversary of its life-saving initiative, BeFirst, with the milestone of its 400th training session at St. Teresa’s College (Autonomous) Ernakulam. The 400th session was inaugurated by Kerala Opposition Leader, V.D. Satheesan. The event was held in association with CSR wing of Aster DM Healthcare, Aster Volunteers’ and the NSS unit of the college and witnessed the participation of 400 students who received critical training in First Aid, Basic Life Support (BLS), and other essential emergency response skills.
“The BeFirst program shows how community-based healthcare can make a big difference. Aster Medcity is imparting the most essential skill of the time- saving lives. By teaching people in Kerala how to handle medical emergencies they are creating a culture where everyone is ready to help and cares about their neighbours,” said V.D. Satheesan during his inaugural address.
Launched on Independence Day, August 15, 2022, the BeFirst campaign has trained over 30,000 people across the state, including college students, corporate professionals, NGOs, Kudumbasree members, NCC cadets, police personnel, and traffic police etc.
Aster Medcity’s BeFirst initiative aims to significantly reduce pre-hospital deaths by training individuals to handle medical emergencies with confidence and precision. The program’s offerings include specialized workshops conducted by Aster’s expert doctors on First Aid, BLS, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), and Paediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS).
“To the dedicated healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, and support staff, we extend our gratitude. It is your tireless efforts, day in and day out, that have brought this milestone in the service of humanity. BeFirst is your unwavering dedication to providing the best care at the right time and save life. This thoughtfulness is the backbone of the success of this venture. Thank you for your compassion, expertise, and the countless lives you’ve touched and saved over the past two years, said Dr. Sr. Vinitha CSST, Provincial Superior and Manager -St. Teresa’s College , Ernakulam.
Taking the efforts to the next level , Aster Medcity is also launching Rapid Response Teams (RRT) as part of the BeFirst initiative. These teams will consist of a minimum of 10 individuals from various communities, trained to identify and respond to early signs of clinical deterioration. The RRT will play a crucial role in preventing respiratory or cardiac arrests and reducing pre-hospital deaths. Their training will include advanced life support techniques, and they will also be responsible for educating others within their communities with the support of Aster’s Emergency Medicine experts,” said Dr. Johnson K Varghese, Consultant – Emergency Medicine, Aster Medcity-Kochi.
The primary goal of the RRT is to bring critical care expertise directly to the patient’s location, whether it be at home, in the community, or during transport between hospitals. Some of the medical conditions for which the RRT can be called are – uncontrolled blood pressure, acute change in mental status, breathing difficulties, unresponsiveness, unrelieved chest pain, seizures, choking, uncontrolled bleeding, etc.
Dhanya Syamalan, Head of Operations, Aster Medcity-Kochi, doctors from the Emergency Department, Aster Volunteers team and college staff members attended the event.