A camera crew shoots a Red Cross TV spot about first aid awareness.

THE Myanmar Red Cross Society has produced three television spots to teach viewers how to provide first aid to accident victims, which will be shown on government-run television channels to coincide with World First Aid Day on September 9.

“This is the first time we’ve produced TV spots about first aid awareness,” Daw Shwe Cin Myint, head of the society’s Communication Division, told The Myanmar Times.

She said the project was started last month with funding provided by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

“We estimate that each spot will cost about K500,000,” said the head of the society’s Training Division, Dr Aung Kyaw Htut, who is supervising production.
“First aid is very important for helping save lives, and everyone should be aware of it,” he said, adding that television is one of the most effective ways to disseminate information.

The three spots – each of which will be no longer than 10 minutes – will provide instructions on how to treat burns, broken bones and drowning victims. They will include dos and don’ts related to each subject, and will feature a wide range of actors, including people from the film industry and Red Cross volunteers.

The dissemination officer of the society’s Communication Division, Daw Myint Myint Oo, who is acting as the shooting manager for the project, said the TV spots will give viewers up-to-date information on how to deal with injuries among family members or people in their community.

“There are still many people who stick to traditional methods when they deal with injuries, so we always try to use different media to provide updated information,” she said.

She said she believed the spots would also inspire many viewers to learn more about first aid.

The television spots are expected to be finished by the end of this month and will be screened on MRTV, MRTV-4 and MWD starting from early September, she said, adding that they will also be included in instructional videos.