By Njeri Irungu
More than 100 golf caddies from clubs across Nairobi have been equipped with life-saving emergency response skills following a month-long training programme led by The Nairobi Hospital in partnership with Brookside Dairies.
The caddies graduated on Monday after completing training in Basic Life Support (BLS) and First Responder skills, preparing them to handle medical emergencies on golf courses before professional medical teams arrive.
The programme comes as golf clubs seek to improve safety for players, with caddies often being the first people on the scene when a medical emergency occurs during a round of golf.
During the training, participants learnt how to identify medical emergencies, perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), respond to choking incidents, control severe bleeding and administer first aid while waiting for ambulance services.
They also received practical instruction on emergency scene assessment, airway management and the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) through classroom sessions and hands-on simulations conducted by clinicians from The Nairobi Hospital.
Speaking during the graduation ceremony, The Nairobi Hospital Chief Executive Officer Felix Osano said the initiative reflects the hospital’s commitment to empowering communities with practical skills that can save lives.
“For more than 70 years, The Nairobi Hospital has remained committed to providing quality specialised healthcare. Today, we are extending that commitment beyond our hospital walls by equipping members of the community with the knowledge and confidence to respond during medical emergencies,” said Osano.
He noted that caddies are uniquely positioned to offer immediate assistance on golf courses, making them an important link in emergency response before patients receive specialised medical care.
According to Osano, the skills acquired through the programme will not only make golf courses safer but will also enable participants to respond confidently to emergencies in their homes and communities.
Brookside Dairies, which partnered with the hospital to deliver the training, said investing in community wellbeing goes beyond promoting good nutrition.
Brookside Dairies General Manager for Marketing Linda Atieno said empowering caddies with first responder skills will strengthen emergency preparedness across golf clubs by ensuring there are trained individuals who can take immediate action during critical situations.
She added that the company is proud to support initiatives that promote safety, preparedness and healthier communities.
According to the Nairobi Hospital, this project is one of the hospital’s initiatives for preventive health care and education to compliment the specialized medical treatments that it offers.
As stated by the hospital, early interventions in cases of medical emergencies are crucial for improving chances of survival and recovery, which makes such first responder programs very significant alongside the construction of proper health care facilities.
After the successful execution of this project, the hospital stated that it intends to collaborate with other institutions in order to further develop such first responder training programs.
