Basic Life Support in School Curriculum Advocacy Dr Henry Chabu Chanshi (MD).pdf

Basic Life Support (BLS) in Zambian School Curriculum

Author:Dr. Henry Chabu Chanshi (MBChB, BSc. Human Biology, Craft Cert. Power Elect, Cert. ACLS, Cert. BLS), a medical doctor and certified electrician based in Zambia.

We can all agree that life is fragile, our body systems and functionality does from time to time depend on others being around us and knowing what to do when a vital system shuts down or malfunctions, this is where basic training in resuscitation comes in, to give that father, that mother another chance to grow older with his or her children respectively, but how does this happen if we are to increase the chances of people surviving, by making the knowledge widespread, how do we do this? We go back to where all knowledge is built (well the life saving type) the classroom!!! BLS needs to be taught in classes for all to be helpful.

Dr. Henry Chabu Chanshi is leading an initiative to integrate Basic Life Support (BLS) training into Zambia's national school curriculum. This advocacy aims to empower students with critical life-saving skills, addressing the high incidence of preventable deaths from sudden cardiac arrest and accidents.

The Problem:
-Sudden cardiac arrest and accidents are major causes of preventable deaths in Zambia.
-BLS is not currently a standard part of the school curriculum, leading to limited awareness among students and teachers.
-Communities often depend on emergency services that may face delays, making immediate bystander intervention critical.

The Proposed Solution: Integrating BLS in Schools
Dr. Chanshi proposes making BLS training mandatory for students, a move that can double or triple survival rates through early intervention.

Empowerment: Equips students with the confidence and skills to act in emergencies at home, school, and in public.
Community Safety: Creates a new generation of first responders, enhancing community resilience and preparedness.

Global Alignment: The initiative supports UN Sustainable Development Goals 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and 4 (Quality Education).

Feasibility & Implementation:
-Curriculum Integration: BLS modules can be incorporated into existing subjects like Life Skills, Science, or Physical Education.

Partnerships: Collaboration with the Ministry of Education, health institutions, and NGOs is key.

Framework: The plan includes developing standardized modules, training teachers, and establishing continuous monitoring through the Examination Council of Zambia.

Expected Outcomes:
-Improved emergency response capacity in schools and communities.
-A significant reduction in preventable deaths among youth.
-Increased national awareness of the importance of emergency care.

Conclusion:
Introducing BLS in schools is a practical, sustainable, and high-impact strategy. Early training fosters a culture of safety and responsibility, empowering youth to strengthen community health outcomes. This initiative is a vital step toward building a safer, more prepared Zambia.

1. TitleSlide
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AdvocatingforBasicLifeSupport(BLS)in
Zambia’sSchoolCurriculum
Presenter:Dr.HenryChabuChanshi
(MBChB,
BSc.HumanBiology,
CraftCert.PowerElect,
Cert.ACLS,Cert.BLS)

2. Introduction
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Suddencardiacarrestandaccidentsare
majorcausesofpreventabledeaths.
EarlyinterventionwithBLScandoubleor
triplesurvivalchances.
Equippingstudentswithlifesavingskills
promotescommunitysafety.

3. CurrentSituation
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BLStrainingnotroutinelyincludedin
Zambia’sschoolcurriculum.
Limitedawarenessamongyouthand
educators.
Dependenceonemergencyresponse
teamswithdelayedarrivaltimes.

4. WhyTeachBLSinSchools?
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•
•
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Empowersstudentswithessentiallife-
savingskills.
Promotesconfidenceandresponsibility
amongyouth.
Improvessurvivalratesinemergenciesat
home,school,orpublicspaces.
Alignswithglobalhealthandeducation
goals(UNSDGs3and4).

5. BenefitstoSociety
•
•
•
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Createsagenerationoffirstresponders.
Reducespre-hospitalmortalityrates.
Enhancescommunityresilienceand
preparedness.
Encouragescivicresponsibilityand
empathy.

6. Feasibility
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•
IntegrationintoLifeSkills,Science,or
PhysicalEducationsubjects.
Partnershipswithhealthtraining
institutionsandNGOs.
Low-costimplementationusingexisting
teachertrainingsystems.

7. ImplementationFramework
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•
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CurriculuminclusionthroughtheMinistry
ofEducationandExaminationCouncilof
Zambia.
DevelopmentofstandardizedBLS
modulesadaptedtoschoollevels.
Teachertrainingworkshopsand
certification.
Continuousmonitoringandevaluation.

8. ExpectedOutcomes
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Improvedemergencyresponsecapacityin
schoolsandcommunities.
Reductioninpreventabledeathsamong
childrenandyouth.
Increasednationalawarenessof
emergencycareimportance.

9. Conclusion
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IntroducingBLSinschoolsispractical,
impactful,andsustainable.
Earlytrainingfostersacultureofsafety
andresponsibility.
Empoweredyouthstrengthencommunity
healthoutcomes.