Tema-Ghana, April 18, GNA – Dr. Barbara Ayesha Anawana Karbo, Head of the Accident and Emergency Department at the International Maritime Hospital (IMaH), has called on parents to discuss their health conditions with their children so that in emergencies they can be of help.
“It is unfortunate that some parents keep their health conditions away from their children; let us teach our children and explain our health issues, in case of any emergencies in the house, they would serve as the first line of the emergency response team to save your life,” Dr. Karbo said.
She said people living with asthma, epilepsy, and sudden panic attacks, among others, must not keep their condition hidden from their immediate family members, especially children and others they are living with in the same house.
Dr. Karbo, who is also an Emergency Medicine Physician, gave the advice at the weekly “Your Health! Our Collective Responsibility,” a Ghana News Agency Tema Regional Office initiative aimed at promoting communication on health-related topics and setting the medium for the propagation of health information to influence personal health choices by improving health literacy.
“Your Health! Our Collective Responsibility” is a public health advocacy platform initiated by the Ghana News Agency Tema Regional Office to explore the parameters of the four approaches to health communication: informative, educational, persuasive, and prompting.
Speaking on the topic of “First aid at home and basic life support,” Dr. Karbo said dynamics were changing and it was about time for Ghanaian mothers, in particular, to inculcate some basic health values tailored towards their conditions at home.
She said children could be the first point of call in a time of emergency and that their intervention could easily save one’s life.
“In some countries, they teach their children how to call emergency provider phone numbers and how to perform Basic Life Support, so if it’s cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), they will start before officers arrive,” she said.
The Accident and Emergency Specialist said the children needed to know the type of medical condition one had, where the drugs were located, and what exactly to do when the need arises.
She said dealing with a serious illness in the family can be an opportunity for children to learn about the body, illness, treatment, and healing process.
She said children have the ability to deal with the truth, but most adults often underestimate them, saying that they rather become anxious when they are not informed and something happens.
Mr. Francis Ameyibor, Regional Manager of Ghana News Agency Tema, explained that “Your Health! Our Collective Responsibility” is part of a collaborative effort to establish a means for the dissemination of health information.
He therefore, called on both the traditional and social media managers to devote some time to engaging health professionals to educate the public, saying that “the education we offer today through our media platform may save a life tomorrow.”
