September 7, 2021
By: Francis F.M. Harding
The Sierra Leone Life Saving Society are set to participate for the first time in this year`s Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) participation in the international CPR challenge. She added that the challenge will take place in England on the 29th & 30th September, 2021.But before the major event an online programme will be organized.
This disclosure was made by the Secretary-General of the Sierra Leone Life Saving Society (SLSS) and a State Registered Nurse Hikmatu Akanke Hassan.
SLLSS Akanke continued to say that they are expecting to gain many things from this challenge as this is the first time they are engaged in such challenge as they will gain a lot of experiences. She continued to say that the country has been hearing about CPR but do not know how to operate the machineries and equipment’s that are used to do CPR.
Hikmatu Akanke Hassan furthered that 15 members from her organization will participate in this challenge event. Some of the equipment’s are AED apparatus, oxygen saturation, ventilator etc. She also disclosed that her organization is partnering with Maritime, Rescue Federation, and National Tourist Board Sierra Leone.
She also disclosed to A-Z press that the participation of the event will take place across the board in all commonwealth states.
Representatives from different countries in the (United Kingdom), Asia (Australia), Canada (Caribbean) South Africa, Japan, Rwanda, West Africa which Sierra Leone will be represented. Ms. Hassan maintained that their expectation is after the challenge they will replicate whatever they have learnt to the Sierra Leone population, after gaining international experience.
Her final word to readers is to join the CPR challenge through their social media platform.
The main objective of the Sierra Leone Life Saving Society is to saving people from drowning.
Explaining what the organization is all about,the Communication Manager of the Sierra Leone Life Saving Society Cecelia Alice Sesay told A-Z newspaper that the organization is an institution established to engage in life saving activities, search and rescue, water safety training, education, health and other things concerning lifesaving in Sierra Leone.
Ms. Sesay continued to say that their key partner is the International Life Saving federation, Royal Life Saving Society, International Marine Time Rescue federation and in Sierra Leone they have good relationship with the Ministry of Sports, Ministry of lands and the other MDA`s. She further disclosed that for now the Sierra Leone Life Saving Society is based in Freetown but there are future plans to expand in the provinces as they have done survey in all swimming pools in Sierra Leone and they have find out many mishapenings which they need to correct.
Alice Sesay further noted that people have pools but they don’t know how to prevent drowning, and to engage in water safety remedies he said one of their task isto educate the pool managers, and the sea managers as well.
She said on the world drowning day they invited the boat owners and fisher men and depict the message of drowning through drama and songs. “There is relationship with fishermen, boat owners as they are dealing with them and their lives are at risk as they have been sensitize them on what to do as raiders and how the fishermen should protect themselves on sea”, she said.
She however noted that for now they are not open to membership because their organization is not just an organization but they are running it as company as well and for now they are looking for membership but partnership and volunteers is their focus. When they have projects they call o them to have training and help them to convey the messages. She ended that they have been doing a fifteen days campaign on prevention and water safety online as they have got so munch of attention. She promises to put Sierra Leone on the map. “There is no education about drowning and the people do not know anything about drowning, the curses and the prevention and which is why Sierra Leone Life Saving Society is here and drowning is a disease and it can be cured”, she ended.