Anantnag, June 19: The Department of Pediatrics, Government Medical College (GMC) Anantnag successfully conducted a three-day IAP CPR Provider Level Course (BLS for Infants, Children and Adults) under the aegis of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) ALS BLS Group.
The programme was organised under the patronage of Principal GMC Anantnag, Professor Dr Junaid S Wani.
Course Director Dr Lokesh Tiwari, Professor and Head, Pediatric Pulmonology, AIIMS Rishikesh, and National Convener, IAP ALS BLS, who was also part of the training team, announced that GMC Anantnag will be made an IAP CPR accredited centre soon. This will enable the institution to conduct regular Advanced and Basic Life Support training for healthcare providers and the general public across the region.
Speaking on the occasion, Principal Prof Dr Junaid S Wani said, “Getting IAP ALS BLS Centre status is a landmark for GMC Anantnag. It reflects our commitment to strengthen emergency and critical care services in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir. Our faculty and residents will now have access to standardized life-saving skill training at their doorstep, which will directly benefit patient care.”
The course was coordinated by Dr Showkat Hussain Tali, HOD Pediatrics GMC Anantnag and IAP ALS BLS Coordinator for Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. Dr Tali also served as an instructor.
The national faculty included Prof Dr Shalu Gupta, Director Professor, Pediatric Intensive Care, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi and North Zone Coordinator, IAP ALS BLS; Prof Romit Saxena, MAMC New Delhi and National Trainer, IAP ALS BLS; Dr Sumiti, Assistant Professor and Pediatric Intensive Care Specialist, DMC Ludhiana and National Trainer, IAP ALS BLS; and Dr Mohammad Irshad, Assistant Professor Pediatrics, GMC Baramulla and National Trainer, IAP ALS BLS.
Dr Tiwari said potential instructors from GMC Anantnag were identified during the course. The selected candidates will become National Trainers for IAP BLS after undergoing three further special training courses as per IAP ALS BLS Group guidelines. This, he said, will create a local pool of trainers for sustaining BLS and ALS courses in the region.
In a major public health initiative, the IAP ALS BLS Group in collaboration with GMC Anantnag also launched an online BLS course portal for the general public of Jammu and Kashmir. The portal aims to train laypersons in CPR and choking management to improve bystander response rates in cardiac arrest. The link is available on the GMC Anantnag Facebook page and will also be made available on the official website.
The course covered Science Behind CPR, Recent CPR Changes, AED Use, Team Dynamics, Adult, Child and Infant CPR, BMV and Choking Management through skill stations and PWW sessions.
A total of 120 participants, including faculty members, consultants, residents and support staff from GMC Anantnag and other healthcare facilities, were trained and evaluated during the programme.
