KazNMU began free training of 1,300 rescuers and police in first aid skills

Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical University launched free first aid training for rescuers and police officers. The purpose of the course, called “Golden Hour First Aid School,” is to improve the training of first responders in critical situations. The idea of the social action belongs to the rector of KazNMU Marat Shoranov.

The rule of the “Golden Hour” is to quickly stabilize the victim’s condition and prevent the deterioration of his condition in order to provide medical care, including emergency care, to the victim as quickly and effectively as possible.

Today, the first training took place at the University Simulation Center. About 60 employees of the Emergency Situations Department of Almaty completed the training. Further, according to the schedule and free schedule of representatives of rescue services, the following trainings will be organized mainly on weekends. In general, the training of a total of 1,300 employees of emergency services and traffic police will last about 2 months.

“Recent events have shown that we must be prepared for any challenge. By training our heroes, we contribute to the safety of every resident of our city. This is our contribution to creating a safer space for every resident of Almaty. Our mission is to promote the health and well-being of our communities by sharing knowledge and experience. That is why we are launching these trainings, so that every Almaty resident can feel protected and so that our heroes are better prepared for any challenges that life may present,” noted KazNMU Vice-Rector for Clinical Work Svetlana Sultangazieva.

Regardless of the level of current training, knowledge about first aid must be periodically updated, at least once a year. Training should be carried out on a systematic basis. In this way, the quality of first aid and the number of lives saved can be improved, even without requiring additional resources.

“For the first time, on the initiative of our rector Marat Edigeevich Shoranov, this social project is being carried out — free training for employees of emergency situations and emergency services. The training is aimed at truly preparing our first responders to provide first aid. We are now witnessing various man-made and climatic events, and as we know, it is the employees of these departments who are the first to come to the rescue. We take responsibility for training these staff so that our community has confidence that they can provide this first aid. This is our contribution to ensuring security,” emphasized KazNMU Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs Zhanna Kalmataeva.

The training is conducted by employees of the Simulation Center and the Institute of Additional and Professional Education of Kazakh National Medical University named after S.D. Asfendiyarov. These are certified trainers who have been trained in international organizations, in particular Israel, the USA and Russia. They are practicing physicians who have extensive clinical and teaching experience.

“Our civil protection personnel are constantly carrying out emergency rescue work. When, for example, a person has inhaled carbon monoxide, it is necessary to promptly provide first aid, that is, artificial respiration. There are young employees who have only recently started their service; they can get confused at such moments. To eliminate risks for people, it is very important to take such courses. We express our deep gratitude to the Asfendiyarov Medical University for such assistance,” noted Bekbolat Bugabaev, senior officer of the Civil Defense Department of the Emergency Situations Department of Almaty.

Rescuers and police officers will receive not only theoretical lessons, but also practical exercises on models, where they will be able to practice responding to various emergency situations, including providing assistance to people rescued on the water. Highly realistic 6th generation simulators will be used for training. This will allow training participants to apply the acquired skills in practice, in real conditions.

The following conditions are processed:

lack of consciousness;

respiratory and circulatory arrest;

external bleeding;

foreign bodies in the upper respiratory tract;

injuries to various areas of the body.

Assistance is provided until the ambulance arrives, then the victim is transferred to emergency medical workers.

The purpose of first aid is to save the victim, that is, to eliminate the threat to his life, to prevent further damage and possible complications. The strong earthquakes that occurred in Almaty revealed the need to improve knowledge and skills in providing first emergency aid to the population. World experience shows that seismic safety of the population depends not only on the quality of the seismic service, but also on the general level of seismic education and psychological preparedness of the population, including in providing first emergency aid.

Almaty leads in the number of road accidents in the Republic of Kazakhstan. According to Kazinform, in 2023 the number of road accidents in Almaty amounted to 1.9 thousand cases (1,897 injured, 51 dead). Another big problem for Almaty is the growing number of accidents involving scooters and mopeds.

About the Simulation Center

The KazNMU simulation center with a total area of 2500 sq.m is the largest in Kazakhstan. It has more than 500 pieces of equipment, including training equipment, simulators, mannequins and dummies. Cases of clinical problems and problematic situations of varying levels of complexity are worked out step by step on virtual simulators and robotic mannequins, allowing students to develop clinical thinking skills and hone their professional skills.

The Simulation Center provides classes at all levels of education:

Bachelor’s degree — basic skills;

Internship — special skills;

Residency — special, specific skills;

Doctoral studies — specialized, systemic skills;

Active healthcare professionals, paramedics and individuals.