Emergency care skills training for CPU members

FIRST responders in disaster prone areas like Chipinge and Chimanimani have acquired emergency care skills through first aid training from the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society and the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe.

The programme, which is being spearheaded by the Manicaland Provincial Civil Protection Unit, saw traditional leaders and other first responders in Mutasa, Mutare, Buhera, Chipinge and Chimanimani districts receiving training on how to respond to emergencies before professional help arrives.

In an interview, the deputy director in charge of civil protection in the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, Mr John Misi said the programme saw at least 35 CPU members receiving first aid certification last week on Friday.

He said the training of trainers will also be decentralised to the seven districts of the province before it cascades to wards.

“With the aid of development partners and the Zimbabwe Council of Churches, we managed to train communities across the province, while also conducting capacity building programmes.

“We have trained the unit and communities so that they respond efficiently when disasters strike.

“We need to avoid scenarios where people take pictures instead of assisting victims when disaster strikes, and this can only be done if the communities have the efficient emergency skills,” he said.

Mr Misi said as a unit, they had identified at least 30 disaster hotspots across the province, with some of them being accident black spots. It is within these areas that traditional leaders and community members are being taught first aid skills and what not to do during an emergency situation.

“One of these areas is in Nyanga near Regina Coeli where a lot of accidents have been happening.

“The community in those areas, including school children, will be trained on how to handle accident situations and what not to do when an accident happens,” he said.

Road accidents, floods and earthquakes are some of the disasters where first aid is needed urgently.

Mr Misi said the country needs to invest more in emergency care skills training. He said in terms of preparedness as Manicaland, the training of CPU members puts the province at a better position.

He also said the training for community members is a first of its kind in the country, adding that other provinces should learn from Manicaland.

“This is part of the national preparedness plan as Government, through the Department of Civil Protection, is spearheading a number of programmes. Manicaland is the first province to conduct such a programme. All provinces recently attended a national contingency planning workshop in Mazowe where our efforts were commended,” he said.

Members of the Civil Protection Unit who received the training were drawn from various Government ministries.

Mr Misi thanked Government and all development partners who made the training a success.