Medics trained in ETAT

Medical practitioners from various health facilities across the country, Wednesday completed a three- day course in emergency intervention and treatment of children. The course, Emergency Triage Assessment and Treatment (ETAT), aims at improving emergency care and treatment for children, including newborns. One of the instructors, Dr John Wachira, said that ETAT is a life support course that focuses on eight conditions that kill children less than five years of age. “This course emphasizes on a structured way of handling a sick child basing on the latest evidence-based clinical practice guidelines on the common conditions,” Wachira explained. He stated that some of the common illnesses among children include diarrhea, malaria, pneumonia, malnutrition and neo-born conditions among others. The Director of Health and Environment in Kigali City, Dr Blaise Uhagaze urged participants to be champions of quality care and treatment. “You are managing lives of newborns and children, some of whom may not be able to talk yet, so you need to think fast and react quickly in emergency care and that’s the moment called ETAT,” Uhagaze told the 25 participants. He called upon the medics to share the newly acquired skills with their colleagues so as to improve child survival. One of the participants, Clarisse Niwingabire, said that she has learned how to handle children in serious conditions. The General Secretary of Rwanda Pediatric Association, Dr Lisine Tuyisenge, said that the nurses and doctors who underwent the course will be able to handle children better, especially those in very poor health conditions. The course was funded by the Belgian Technical Cooperation (BTC) which has, so far, financed training for 300 healthcare providers. maria.kaitesi@newtimes.co.rw

National

Medics trained in ETAT