Medical Emergency in Bangladesh: What to Do in the First 10 Minutes
When someone collapses, has a heart attack, or gets badly injured — what you do in the first minutes matters more than anything. A first-aid guide for Bangladeshis.
In Bangladesh, there's no reliable 911. Ambulance response times in Dhaka average 30-60 minutes in traffic. When a medical emergency happens, the people around the patient ARE the first responders. What you do in those critical first minutes can mean the difference between life and death.
Heart Attack
Symptoms: Chest pain or pressure (like an elephant sitting on your chest), pain spreading to left arm or jaw, shortness of breath, cold sweats, nausea.
What to do:
- Call for help immediately — send someone for an ambulance/CNG.
- Make the person sit or lie down in a comfortable position.
- Give them aspirin (300mg) to chew — NOT swallow whole. This thins the blood and can save heart muscle.
- If they have a GTN (nitroglycerin) spray, help them use it.
- If they become unconscious and stop breathing, start CPR: push hard and fast on the center of the chest, 100-120 times per minute.
Severe Bleeding
From accidents, falls, or injuries — common in Dhaka's traffic.
What to do:
- Apply direct pressure with a clean cloth. Press HARD.
- Don't keep checking — maintain pressure for at least 10 minutes.
- If blood soaks through, add more cloth on top — don't remove the first.
- Elevate the injured limb above the heart if possible.
- Get to a hospital quickly.
Burns
Kitchen burns are very common in Bangladesh.
What to do:
- Cool the burn under running water for 20 minutes. Yes, 20 full minutes.
- Do NOT apply toothpaste, ghee, ice, or raw egg (all common Bangladeshi 'remedies' that cause more harm).
- Cover loosely with a clean, non-stick bandage.
- Seek medical help for any burn larger than your palm, any burn on face/hands/joints, or chemical/electrical burns.
Choking
Especially common in children and elderly.
For adults: Stand behind them, make a fist, place it above the navel, and thrust inward and upward sharply (Heimlich maneuver). Repeat until the object comes out.
For babies under 1: Place face-down on your forearm, give 5 back blows between shoulder blades, then flip and give 5 chest thrusts.
Seizure/Convulsion
What to do:
- Clear the area of hard objects.
- Do NOT put anything in their mouth (this is a myth).
- Do NOT try to hold them down.
- Turn them on their side after the shaking stops.
- Time the seizure — if it lasts more than 5 minutes, it's an emergency.
Emergency Numbers
- National emergency: 999
- Fire service: 16163
- Ambulance services: various (save 2-3 numbers in your phone NOW).
Take a basic first-aid course. The two hours you invest could save a life — maybe someone you love.