FREETOWN, July 9 (Xinhua) -- The 27th batch of the Chinese medical team in Sierra Leone on Thursday conducted a specialized "First Responder" emergency care training program at Central University, equipping nearly 150 nursing students and faculty members with essential lifesaving skills.
The training was delivered under the China-Sierra Leone First Responder Training Center and the China-Sierra Leone Nursing Training Center.
The program combined classroom instruction with practical clinical simulation. Experts from the medical team introduced the principles and legal responsibilities of first-aid intervention, airway management and emergency coordination and standardized cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) procedures and response protocols.
During the practical session, participants received one-on-one coaching on chest compressions, hand positioning, compression rhythm and automated external defibrillator (AED) operation before completing individual competency assessments. Those meeting the required standards were awarded First Responder qualification certificates.
Fatmata Gegbe, head of the university's nursing department, said the training addressed critical gaps in practical emergency care instruction and significantly strengthened students' readiness to respond to medical emergencies.
Participants welcomed the hands-on approach, saying the knowledge and skills acquired would enable them to provide timely emergency assistance in their communities.
The program forms part of the Chinese medical team's ongoing cooperation with Sierra Leone's higher education institutions. The medical team said it will continue organizing regular emergency care outreach and professional training to strengthen the capacity of local healthcare workers and community first responders. ■
