Dubai: Basic life support and other emergency services provided by a school clinic have helped save at least three lives during the last year, XPRESS has learnt.
A four-year-old girl studying in KG 1 at Our Own English High School in Al Warqah returned to school this week after recovering from open heart surgery. But though the operation was done in a hospital in her native Pakistan, it was the emergency treatment she received at the school clinic last year that saved her life.
Dr Niyatidas Chowdhury, school doctor, said the little girl had been rushed to the clinic by a bus conductor when he found her breathing with difficulty. “She was wheezing and under severe respiratory distress. We gave her oxygen and put her on a nebuliser. When her condition stabilised, we discovered that she had a cardiac problem. We immediately referred her to Latifa Hospital.”
She said the girl eventually went to Pakistan for treatment and has fully recovered.
In the second case, a six-year-old boy of KG 2 was administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) when he collapsed in class. “Luckily for him, our clinic was just next door. The class teacher immediately brought him and we administered CPR. We gave him a drip, blood glucose, oxygen and IV fluid. He responded very well.”
Dr Chowdhury suspected a cardiac or neurological problem that was subsequently investigated by a hospital. “The boy is currently undergoing treatment in his native country,” she said.
The third incident related to a bus driver who came to the clinic asking for a Panadol to treat a pain in the right shoulder. But the school doctor took one look at him and knew she had a heart patient at hand. A thorough examination revealed that his blood pressure and sugar had shot up. He had also suffered a heart attack previously. He was subsequently referred to Rashid Hospital where an angiography was recommended.
Dr Chowdhury said: “We have two clinics with two doctors and nine nurses. Most of us are trained in basic life support and we are fully equipped to deal with any kind of emergency, whether it is related to heart problems, diabetes, epilepsy or asthma.”
The Dubai Health Authority this month discussed new policies with schools highlighting the need to maintain adequate healthcare professional-student ratio.
DHA Guidelines
According to DHA, schools must have an adequate number of health professionals to cater to their students. The current stipulation is as follows:
Less than 1,000 children: A full-time nurse and part-time doctor; Up to 2,000 children: Two full-time doctors and one full-time nurse; More than 2,000 children: Two full-time doctors, two full-time nurses for every 1,000 students
