Hero Abu Dhabi vets invited to take part in intensive first aid course

The six vets from the British Veterinary Centre will receive day-long training as part of a ‘Heartsaver course’ this weekend and next month with Uniteam Medical Assistance, who reached out to them after reading about their actions in The National.

Dr Ahmad Jakish, one of three vets who performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the German national, outside their centre in Abu Dhabi

ABU DHABI // Six veterinarians – including the three who last week saved a man’s life outside their clinic – have been invited to take part in an intensive first-aid course.

The vets, from the British Veterinary Centre, will receive day-long training as part of a “Heartsaver course” this weekend and next month with Uniteam Medical Assistance.

Dr Ahmad Jakish, one of the three vets who performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the German national after he collapsed, said the team was delighted.

“It was a surprise to receive a call about the course,” he said. “We’re not trained to treat humans, still we managed to. But if we have training we can be more comfortable if there is another situation either involving a cardiac arrest or involving children.

“We managed to revive that man but it would be beneficial to attend an official class and learn more.”

The Abu Dhabi-based medical services company contacted the vets after reading two news stories in The National.

The first story, on May 19, was about a British national in a coma in a Sharjah hospital with severe brain damage after workmates drove him to hospital instead of calling an ambulance when he had difficulty breathing. The following day, The National reported how the vets performed chest compressions that helped the German man regain consciousness before an ambulance arrived.

“Their quick action saved a human life and this is to recognise their quick action,” said Lindsay Penfound, general manager of Uniteam Medical Assistance.

“These guys don’t have training for human beings but they clearly saved this man’s life.

“It was just the contrast from the first article in the newspaper where people in the workplace did not know what to do.”