TWO PUPILS COLLAPSE DURING COMPETITION

(At Mavuso Sports Centre)

MANZINI – Two pupils from unidentified Primary Schools in the Manzini branch collapsed during the Inter-Primary School Athletics Competition and there was no professional help for them.

Therefore, parents who allow their children to partake in the Manzini Branch Athletics Competition for Primary Schools, should do so at their own risk.
This is because the competition held yesterday for the Group A turned out to be a health hazard for the pupils because there were no paramedics or qualified first aid practitioners anywhere near the venue.

To make thing worse, none of the teachers had put in place some sort of makeshift first aid stand.
Furthermore, there was no water nearby which was the least the organising committee or anybody for that matter, could have done.
The unavailability of paramedics due to the poor organisation by the committee responsible, therefore, put the good health and lives of the future athletes at an extensive risk. 

This was even highlighted by some of the teachers to Technical Director Hamilton Mhlanga, one of whom said he would not allow his pupils to compete today if the situation would not be rectified.

“Why are there no first aid people (paramedics) here? Why are you making the children run without anybody to look after their health? This is not right and is reckless. As for my school, if this issue is not fixed tomorrow (today) then I will definitely not permit my school to participate,” he expressed concern.

Less than two hours after the concern was raised, the two children participating in the males and females 800m run collapsed during the respective races and they were left at the hands of a Good Samaritan, one of the students from William Pitcher Collage, who ran to take a look although that was all he could do without the help or equipment to use.

Mhlanga, however, said this was not under his portfolio as his was to run the competition not organise such things as safety measures.

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