Lecturers travel to Nepal to aid earthquake victims
VOLUNTEER: One of the CPUT lecturers who is involved in search and rescue operations in Nepal
Friday, 08 May 2015
The Department of Emergency Medical Sciences has heeded the global call for humanitarian assistance in Nepal.
A 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Nepal more than a week ago killing more than 7 000 people and leaving thousands displaced.
Lecturers Mustafa Zalgoanker, Schalk van der Merwe and Ryan Matthews were among the hundreds of international volunteers who provided relief to those that have been left destitute following the earthquake.
HELP AT HAND: CPUT lecturers Ryan Matthews, Mustafa Zalgoanker and Schalk van der Merwe and are currently in Nepal and are using their skills to assist earthquake victims
The lecturers returned from Nepal this week where they formed part of the Gift of the Givers Rescue team. The team is made up of highly qualified search and rescue personnel as well medical teams.
The team spent 10 days in Nepal assisting with search and rescue efforts and setting up of a field hospital.
“Since CPUT is the only institution who are trained in advanced life support and advanced search and rescue we were able to provide relief that some of the other volunteers couldn’t like assisting in the hospitals with medical care like cleaning wounds,” says Matthews.
“That gave the doctors some relief and let the other rescue teams get on with searching for bodies.”
Llyold says in 2003 the department also heeded the call for assistance when an earthquake struck Iran. Lecturer Navin Naidoo was part of the rescue team that traveled to Iran.
Written by Candes Keating
Email: keatingc@cput.ac.za
Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.
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