HISTORY OF ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT IN CHILDREN (ÇİLYAD) PROGRAM

 

ÇİLYAD was implemented throughout Turkey in June 2000 after assessing Turkey’s needs, reviewing general publications and some advanced life support courses from North America and Western Europe. Our objective was to find ways to minimize preventable disabilities and to lower high child mortality rates.
Our priority was to train all staff who look after sick children. A providers’ book was prepared and the subjects were made as simple and comprehensible as possible and because the courses contain a lot of hands on practical training all the teaching materials were standardized. Standard and up-to-date slide sets for each subject were prepared. The program was validated by holding seven trial courses in different parts of the country. Then the program was updated depending on the feedback and audits of performance that were made and a uniform standard was created. The course book for providers has been revised, the second edition has quickly run out of stock and a third edition has recently been published. A second edition of the instructor book is being prepared for publication.
In 2004 the Ministry of Health declared “Advanced Life Support for Children” as a mandatory training module for the Emergency Physician Certificate Program. A draft program was developed, an instructor book was prepared and permission to execute the program country wide was given by the Ministry of Health. Then the first course for the trainers in the Advanced Life Support for Children or CILYAD program was initiated. The first course for providers and instructors was held in the province of Mersin on 9-10 December 2004. The number of instructors was then increased by holding instructor and provider courses in other provinces where the Ministry of Health has a Regional Training Center.

So that the courses are being held at many regional training centers and 30 universities are supporting the program. The training materials and manikins are being provided by Provincial Health Directors as well as the Ministry of Health. Every regional training center in Turkey is now capable of organizing ÇİLYAD courses without assistance.

As of the end of 2007 a total of 192 courses were held, (120 provider for doctors, 25 instructor, 47 provider for other medical staff). The total number of providers reached to 4039 and instructors to 581. ÇİLYAD courses are rapidly extending to every corner of the country and the number of providers increasing daily.