With the aim to strengthen the pre-hospital care standard in Nepal, National Health Training Center (NHTC) under the direct supervision of the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) with technical support from WHO, Country Office for Nepal, organized a three-month-long training for health care workers to train them as basic emergency medical technicians (BEMT) to strengthen the pre-hospital care pathway.
The training was conducted at Dhulikhel Hospital which included eleven health care workers from three districts (Dhading, Kavrepalanchok, and Sindhupalchok) of Bagmati Province.
In Nepal, majority of ambulances in operation operating aren’t adequately equipped to support early management of cases while transporting patients. In such a context, through this skill-based training, MoHP aims to equip ambulances with trained BEMTs which will strengthen the pre-hospital care through early identification and transportation of cases to the appropriate health facilities.
Participants of the three-month-long training for basic emergency medical technicians at the premises of Dhulikhel Hospital, Kavre; Photo Credit: S.K. Shrestha
“This initiative to strengthen the pre-hospital care in the country will significantly contribute to saving lives and reducing the mortality rate of acutely-ill patients while they are on their way to the hospital,” said Dr Samir Kumar Adhikari, Chief of Health Emergency Operation Center (HEOC) at MoHP.
WHO, Country Office for Nepal, provided technical and financial support in developing the Learning Resource Package (LRP) for the training program which was developed by NHTC under the direct supervision of MoHP. WHO Emergency Care System Framework was the key resource for the course development. The framework captures essential emergency care functions at the scene of injury or illness, during transport, and through to emergency unit and early inpatient care.
Emergency medical technicians learning pre-hospital care skills through practical sessions at the premises of Dhulikhel Hospital, Kavre; Photo Credit: S.K. Shrestha
The 90 days Learning Resource Package is designed to cover essential components of emergency case management such as introduction to Emergency Care and National Emergency Care Plan, Preparation for Emergency Medical Technicians, Communications, Documentation, Scene Size, Basic Life Support, Patient Assessment, Common Trauma, and non-trauma emergencies, Obstetrics, and gynecology emergencies, and infant and children's emergencies.
Strengthening the pre-hospital care pathway is an important mandate of WHO, and the Organization will continue to support MOHP in conducting trainings for EMTs throughout the country.
“We remain committed to supporting efforts to strengthen the pre-hospital care services and will continue to work in close coordination with HEOC, MOHP, and NHTC. Previously WHO has supported other components of pre-hospital care pathway like building the capacity of drivers, community responders, and dispatchers, and we look forward to taking this training to the local level,” said Dr. Rajesh Sambhajirao Pandav, WHO Representative to Nepal
Similar trainings will be rolled out in the provinces early next year with funding support from multiple partners.