Nicola Liddell, an emergency first response instructor, encorages people to learn CPR. Victor Besa / The National
Nicola Liddell, an emergency first response instructor, encorages people to learn CPR. Victor Besa / The National
Nicola Liddell, an emergency first response instructor, encorages people to learn CPR. Victor Besa / The National
Nicola Liddell, an emergency first response instructor, encorages people to learn CPR. Victor Besa / The National

New 'Good Samaritan' law set to be finally introduced in UAE


Haneen Dajani
  • English
  • Arabic

A 'Good Samaritan' law allowing bystanders to offer aid in medical emergencies without fear of legal consequences has been approved by the Ministry of Health.

The Rescuer Protection Law - similar to Good Samaritan laws that are in place in other countries - is aimed at boosting survival rates and encouraging the public to help in potentially life-threatening situations.

It is hoped that the draft law will be brought into force soon after being given the green-light by the ministry, which will send it to the Cabinet in the next two weeks.

The Cabinet must approve the draft, which may be subject to changes, before it comes into effect.

“There is strong evidence in scientific literature that early bystander intervention dramatically improves survival rates in many emergencies; using cardiac arrest as an example,” said Dr Saleh Fares, head of the emergency medicine division at the Emirates Medical Association (EMA), who worked closely with the ministry on the draft law.

"This law represents a reassuring maturity in the emergency care development in the country. So the purpose of this law is to ensure that the intervention is helpful.”

Police in Abu Dhabi have previously said it is an offence to provide assistance without being trained in first aid.

This has led to a reluctance on the part of many to get involved when they see someone in need of support, some medics say.

An emergency response instructor told The National in August that people in the country choose not to learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) because they fear they could be held responsible if those they help die.

Quick intervention and techniques like CPR can be crucial to saving heart attack and drowning victims. Christopher Pike / The National
Quick intervention and techniques like CPR can be crucial to saving heart attack and drowning victims. Christopher Pike / The National

Nicola Liddell, an emergency first response instructor and course director at Divers Down, said a common misconception was that the last person to touch someone in need of help could face prosecution.

“I have heard about people choosing not to help someone who was choking because they were afraid of the consequences,” she said at the time.

Chest compression and other techniques in particular could save the life of a family member, friend or stranger by keeping them alive until paramedics arrive.

Fear of getting involved

Good Samaritan laws in countries such as the US, UK, Australia, Canada, Germany and Ireland provide legal protection to people who help those they believe to be in peril, at risk of injury or incapacitated.

Now that the draft law has approved by the Ministry of Health’s Executive Council, it will be forwarded to the Cabinet for further assessment.

“We are working hard to get this law approved this year,” said Dr Fares.

The draft law says that bystanders will be protected if they assisted, with good intentions, someone who is in danger until emergency medical services arrive.

However, providing assistance remains optional, and it will not be a punishable offence to not step in.

“Some countries mandated it but we opted not to in order to allow more freedom in the decision,” said Dr Fares.

In the case of a car accident for example, if the patient is stable and the ambulance is within reach, the only help needed would be to call the ambulance and help them to get to the patient.

'Common sense'

“But if the patient is at risk, like if the car is caught in fire or the patient is bleeding, then the help needed here is to take him out of the fire or stopping the bleeding.

“So the judgment will be made on the common sense on most of the cases and a balance between help and the harm.”

Starting CPR, opening an airway to help breathing, and stopping a bleeding could make a huge difference in the survival rates of many patients, Dr Fares said.

Cardiac arrest survival rates in the UAE are quite low, ranging between 4 to 13 per cent outside hospital, said Dr Fares.

“So in a simple language, out of 10 people who suffer cardiac arrest, we only save one, while we can save over six people if we have this law and encourage the community to start the CPR immediately.”

“I understand that this takes time to happen but we need to start somewhere.”

He said the reason such a law has not been introduced yet, is because there have been several incidents in the past where bystander trying to help did not help the situation.

“This led to official announcements to limit such involvement. It took us sometime to convince government entities that the benefit of this law outweighs any risk.

“And with community training in first aid, the outcomes will continue to improve in numerous aspects.”

_________________

Read more:

Lawyers want good Samaritans protected

Fear of prosecution stops residents from learning life-saving first aid in UAE, experts say

Ireland (15-1):

Ireland (15-1): Rob Kearney; Keith Earls, Chris Farrell, Bundee Aki, Jacob Stockdale; Jonathan Sexton, Conor Murray; Jack Conan, Sean O'Brien, Peter O'Mahony; James Ryan, Quinn Roux; Tadhg Furlong, Rory Best (capt), Cian Healy

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Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
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Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
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Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
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Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
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How being social media savvy can improve your well being

Next time when procastinating online remember that you can save thousands on paying for a personal trainer and a gym membership simply by watching YouTube videos and keeping up with the latest health tips and trends.

As social media apps are becoming more and more consumed by health experts and nutritionists who are using it to awareness and encourage patients to engage in physical activity.

Elizabeth Watson, a personal trainer from Stay Fit gym in Abu Dhabi suggests that “individuals can use social media as a means of keeping fit, there are a lot of great exercises you can do and train from experts at home just by watching videos on YouTube”.

Norlyn Torrena, a clinical nutritionist from Burjeel Hospital advises her clients to be more technologically active “most of my clients are so engaged with their phones that I advise them to download applications that offer health related services”.

Torrena said that “most people believe that dieting and keeping fit is boring”.

However, by using social media apps keeping fit means that people are “modern and are kept up to date with the latest heath tips and trends”.

“It can be a guide to a healthy lifestyle and exercise if used in the correct way, so I really encourage my clients to download health applications” said Mrs Torrena.

People can also connect with each other and exchange “tips and notes, it’s extremely healthy and fun”.

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  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
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Founder: Omar Onsi

Launched: 2018

Employees: 35

Financing stage: Seed round ($12 million)

Investors: B&Y, Phoenician Funds, M1 Group, Shorooq Partners

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  • Taking hair from a dark to a light colour should involve a slow transition through warmer stages of colour
  • When choosing a colour (especially a lighter tone), allow for a natural lift of warmth
  • Most modern hair colours are technique-based, in that they require a confident hand and taught skills
  • If you decide to be brave and go for it, seek professional advice and use a semi-permanent colour
How much of your income do you need to save?

The more you save, the sooner you can retire. Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.com, says if you save just 5 per cent of your salary, you can expect to work for another 66 years before you are able to retire without too large a drop in income.

In other words, you will not save enough to retire comfortably. If you save 15 per cent, you can forward to another 43 working years. Up that to 40 per cent of your income, and your remaining working life drops to just 22 years. (see table)

Obviously, this is only a rough guide. How much you save will depend on variables, not least your salary and how much you already have in your pension pot. But it shows what you need to do to achieve financial independence.

 

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Barcelona v Liverpool, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE).

Second leg

Liverpool v Barcelona, Tuesday, May 7, 11pm

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