Communities drilled on first aid
Malawi Red Cross Society has trained 65 civil protection committee members and volunteers from Blantyre District on how they can administer first aid to people during disasters.
Speaking on Monday during the training, Red Cross Blantyre district coordinator Blessings Mlowoka said they wanted to empower communities to provide first aid to prevent deaths during disasters.
“We are in the rainy season which is associated with disasters such as floods and rainstorms. We want volunteers entrusted to help affected people get skills to give the right assistance,” he said.
One of the participants, Mary Kanyalira, said the skills will help them to save people’s lives before taking them to hospitals for further treatment.
“We have learnt how we can assist a victim that has drowned in flood water, a person that has suffocated, injured or has experienced thrust,” she said.
Red Cross conducted the training with support from the European Union Humanitarian Aid.
Malawi experiences disasters almost every rainy season.
According to Department of Disaster Management Affairs spokesperson Chipiliro Khamula, disasters have affected 58 401 people in 26 districts this year.
“The death toll has risen from 42 to 49. Lightning has killed 28 people while 21 died after walls collapsed on them and 105 people sustained injuries,” he said.
