PINK guava juice may seem like a refreshing drink to many, but to one unlucky passenger under stewardess Rozania Mohd Khir’s care, it was life-threatening.
“On board a flight bound for Europe, a passenger suddenly broke out in large pink, rashes.
The cause was an allergic reaction to pink guava juice that he had drunk during the inflight meal.
He had difficulty breathing because he had anaphylactic shock,” recalls Rozania, who works for Malaysia Airlines (MAS). “Fortunately there was a doctor on board who was able to administer anti-allergy medication via injection.
Then we did not have anti-allergy epi-pens with us but carried anti-allergy medications in ampules in a physician’s kit instead.” The physician’s kit is one of three that are always carried on board MAS flights.
It can only be opened with the captain’s approval and used by a certified medical practitioner (doctor, paramedic or nurse).
The other two are the mandatory first aid and daily first aid kits.
But an allergic reaction was not the only medical emergency that Rozania had to deal with while in flight.
Last month, while on a MAS flight bound for Mali, she had to assist a colleague with a patient who suffered a stroke. MAS steward Mohamad Zarak Abu Bakkar Seddek, who was with Rozania on the same flight, says the incident was totally unexpected because just 10 minutes before the stroke, the passenger was genial and talkative. “We were surprised when his travelling companion told us that he had suffered a stroke.
When I reached his seat, he was slumped to one side and unconscious.
We immediately announced for a doctor on board to assist us.
“Luckily there was a doctor on board who discovered that the passenger’s blood pressure was around 200.
We tried to make the passenger as comfortable as possible and upon landing at Mali airport, handed him over to a waiting doctor and paramedics.” Rozania says what was flattering was the compliment they received from the doctor in Mali. “He said that in all his years of service, he had never seen an air crew deal so calmly or swiftly with such a situation.
I believe this is a credit to the training at MAS Training Academy.” Inflight executive Sagadevan Singaravelu has had his share of medical drama in the 29 years that he has been flying with MAS.
Not only did he help with the birth of a baby boy 9,150 metres in the air, but he also had to deal with a death during the course of work.
“Assisting in the birth was a remarkable experience.
The couple were on their way to Zurich and then Italy, to the husband’s home country.
The wife, a Filipina, was petite and her pregnancy was not showing much.
So initially, when she doubled over in pain, complaining of cramps, we did not know the problem.
Her husband did not speak English but her friends, who were travelling with the couple, told us that she was six months’ pregnant,” says Sagadevan. “It was a premature birth and to make the situation worse, it was a breach baby.
The passenger was in her second stage of labour with crowning about to take place.
There was no medical personnel on board except for a midwife and together we delivered the baby boy.
I kept the captain in the loop about the procedure and when the baby was delivered safely, he made the announcement to welcome the baby amid cheers and applause from the other passengers.” While on a flight from Jeddah to KL, Sagadevan had to deal with the death of a passenger. “He was quite an old man, seated at the back and had been coughing throughout the flight.
Then during meal service, the wife told me that her husband was unconscious.
We duly informed the captain who then announced for any doctor to come forward to check the body for a pulse or response.
“Unfortunately the old man had died.
I drew a blanket up to his shoulders and placed an oxygen mask over his face so that the other passengers wouldn’t panic.” Sagadevan credits his composure in dealing with both situations to the training he received at the academy. “Every year, MAS airline crew members have to undergo a hands-on refresher course on how to deal with emergencies in the air,” he says. MAS first aid instructor Rus Mary Alphonse, who conducts training for all cabin crew members, says they are trained to maintain professionalism and crowd control at all times, including a medical emergency. “They undergo rigorous training to ensure continuity of safety standards and standard operating procedures when carrying out their duties.
They are trained in first aid, and safety and emergency procedures when onboard flights.” Initially cabin crew members undergo five days of training.
They are also required to undergo recurrent training annually to validate their competency in safety emergency procedures for passenger and aircraft safety. Topics covered include circulation disorders (unconsciousness, hypoxia), live-saving techniques (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), dealing with medical emergencies such as coronary artery diseases and heart attacks and dealing with traumatic emergencies like bleeding and childbirth.
The cabin crew members are also taught aviation medicine and to recognise symptoms, diseases and management according to disorders. “The MAS Cabin Crew Training programmes are in adherence to strict regulations by local and international aviation bodies such as Malaysia Civil Aviation Regulations (MCAR 1996), Department of Civil Aviation Malaysia, International Civil Aviation Organisation and the International Air Transport Association which requires cabin crew members to be tested within the relevant period on use of emergency and life-saving equipment required to be carried on the flight and, fly and practice onboard within the validity period of their training,” adds Rus Mary. Flight safety instructor Lim Lee Mei says MAS cabin crew are also trained on contents, use and side effects of medication in the daily first aid kit, which can be used by the crew at any time.
Read more: Health: Dealing with inflight emergencies http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/Health_Dealingwithinflightemergencies/Article#ixzz0vn6wO0T6
