You would think after the international media coverage of the little girl who was run over by two trucks and left to die in the street that things might have changed.
I guess it takes longer than a few months to change a nation's attitude towards their fellow man. Yesterday a 70-year-old man fell down at a downtown intersection. He called for help and struggled to get up but after 30 minutes of inaction by anyone, he died in front of the crowd of onlookers.
Why you might ask did no one do anything except call an ambulance that arrived after the man was dead. The answer is China's Ministry of Health published a guide last September telling people how to help elderly residents if they fall in the street. The 41-page guide, available to download from the ministry's website, advises people who see old people fall "not to help them up in a hurry, but to observe and inquire about their health conditions first and then act accordingly." The guide says that in many cases people's help could lead to more serious problems for elderly people suffering bone fractures, strokes or heart disease. It advises dialing 120 for medical help if people see someone on the ground unconscious.
So there you have it - call an ambulance and watch someone die - seems something got lost in translation.
No comments:
Post a Comment