SAEMF/GEMA Research Grant - $10,000

"Understanding Barriers and Opportunities of a Rural Nepal Police-Based Basic Life Support Program"

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a leading cause of death worldwide, and its incidence is increasing in Nepal. Studies have shown that initiating cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) promptly as a bystander can significantly improve the chances of survival after an OHCA event. In Nepal, where pre-hospital and emergency medical system (EMS) is underdeveloped, the police are often the first to respond to life-threatening emergencies. Despite this reality, the police in Nepal are not routinely trained in basic life support (BLS) like hands-only CPR and choking-first aid. This gap in Nepal led our collaborative team to design and implement a pilot training program for hands-only CPR and choking first-aid for frontline police responders in Nepal.

Recipient(s)

  • Derek Lubetkin, MD

    Derek Lubetkin, MD

    Mainehealth - Pen Bay Medical Center

    "Understanding Barriers and Opportunities of a Rural Nepal Police-Based Basic Life Support Program"

    Derek Lubetkin, MD, earned his undergraduate degree from McGill University and obtained his medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine. ​Dr. Lubetkin completed his residency in emergency medicine at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, where he participated in the Emergency Medicine Global Health Track and the Brown Residency International/Global Health Training Pathway (BRIGHT).

    Following residency, Dr. Lubetkin pursued the Coastal Maine Global Health Fellowship, focusing on building emergency care capacity by developing and implementing training curricula at the Mae Tao Clinic on the Thailand-Myanmar border.

    Dr. Lubetkin is also a co-founder of Open Channel Projects, a nonprofit organization committed to expanding healthcare access by collaborating with local organizations uniquely positioned to drive meaningful change and address the specific health needs of their communities.

    With support from the SAEMF GEMA Research Pilot Grant, Dr. Lubetkin aims to further his work in Nepal, where he has previously partnered with Bayalpata Hospital to develop a prehospital trauma training program. He will use the grant funding to strengthen his collaboration with HAPSA-Nepal, focusing on a police-based basic life support training initiative.