16-week officer induction programme ends

National
From left: Trainee ambulance officers Anthony Pryke, Aderah Ovavu and Madako Suari Jr at the St John Ambulance headquarters in Port Moresby last week. – Picture supplied

A NATIONAL squash representative was among 16 St John trainee ambulance officers (TAO) who completed a 16-week ambulance officer induction programme last Friday.
Madako Suari Jr, who is vying to represent Papua New Guinea at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, United Kingdom, in July, was among three other trainees who stood out as first time officers during the training.
The programme has introduced trainees to be competent in basic life support, defibrillation, resuscitation, emergency child birthing, asthma, snake bite, bleeding, heart attack and stroke.
Suari said the programme was a great opportunity for him as it was always his dream to work with St John.
He has been the country’s leading male player for a decade and said while he enjoyed his sport being an emergency first responder was a calling.
According to St John, Anthony Pryke, 31, topped the course displaying quality leadership over the duration of the programme.
“Helping others was always my passion and being a TAO would be something I have always loved to do” he said.
Apart from Suari and Pryke, Aderah Ovavi was the best performing nurse who also expressed her keen interest in becoming a TAO.