Heroes at 35,000 Feet: How a Ghanaian doctor, others saved a passenger’s life on a flight to New York

In critical moments, the availability of medical first aid can mean the difference between life and death. Whether it is a minor injury or a life-threatening condition, the immediate application of first aid can stabilize one’s condition, prevent complications, and reduce the threat of death.

This reality was put into practice recently on a Delta Airlines flight from Kotoka International Airport in Ghana to John F. Kennedy Airport in New York.

According to a report by myjoyonline.com, four hours into the 11-hour journey, the tranquility of the flight was interrupted by an urgent announcement through the cabin: “Is there a doctor on board?”

For the passenger mid-air over the Atlantic Ocean, this call for help signaled a medical emergency requiring urgent intervention. Among the passengers was Dr. Enoch Opoku Afriyie, a specialist emergency medicine physician from Ghana, who volunteered to assist along with a nurse and a pediatrician.

As the most experienced in emergency care, Dr. Afriyie took charge as the team leader and immediately initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

With limited resources, the team requested an oxygen supply, an automated external defibrillator (AED), a sphygmomanometer, and the emergency medical kit from the flight crew.

Working swiftly and cohesively, they managed to restore the passenger’s pulse after about five minutes of CPR. The patient regained consciousness and was stabilized using a non-rebreather mask to supply oxygen.

Throughout the flight, Dr. Afriyie and his team closely monitored the patient, ensuring he remained stable.

They also coordinated with the airline’s medical team to provide continuous care until the plane landed safely at JFK Airport, where the patient was subsequently transferred to a nearby hospital in New York for further treatment.

TWI NEWS

JKB/OGB

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