The department of health in Gauteng will on Wednesday launch the first free responder training which will be facilitated by Lebone College of Emergency Care.
The training session will take place at KwaMasiza Hostel in Sebokeng in the Vaal.
The programme will focus on how to perform CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) on victims who do not have a pulse and are not breathing.
CPR is also a lifesaving technique when trying to save people who experience convulsions, sustain critical stab wounds and gunshot wounds, and near drowning incidents.
The department said it has noticed that in 90% of the calls it receives, communities are less equipped to respond to the emergency situation they are confronted with.
“This can sometimes mean the difference between life and death while awaiting emergency response teams,” said the department.
The programme is intended for TISH communities (townships, informal settlements and hostels), where there are always challenges, particularly of access, which result in emergency response being delayed.
The department aims to train about 2 500 people during a session that will be conducted from March to December in Sebokeng.
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