Veteran actor Kwame Dzokoto’s sudden death has sparked urgent calls for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training in corporate workplaces. Dr George Preprah, a cardiologist at Takoradi Hospital, told Connect 97.1FM in Takoradi that the capacity to administer CPR could save lives when every second counts.
“Corporate institutions should train their staff in emergency CPR. It goes a long way toward saving lives, and it could have saved Kwame Dzokoto,” Dr Preprah said.
His comments come amid wider scrutiny of workplace emergency preparedness following Dzokoto’s unexpected passing. Many organisations focus on fire prevention, security, evacuation procedures and basic first aid. But Dr Preprah said CPR training remains overlooked despite its potential to improve survival in cardiac arrest cases.
CPR involves chest compressions that help maintain blood circulation to the brain and heart when a person becomes unresponsive and is not breathing normally. Early CPR can keep vital organs alive until professional medical help arrives. Without immediate action, the chances of surviving a cardiac arrest drop sharply.
“The absence of immediate intervention can significantly reduce a person's chances of survival,” Dr Preprah said. He added that employees trained in CPR would be better equipped to recognise emergencies and respond instead of waiting helplessly for ambulances. While CPR does not guarantee survival, early intervention improves recovery odds.
Dzokoto’s death should not be taken to mean CPR would have saved him, Dr Preprah cautioned. However, it raises questions about whether workplaces have adequate emergency response systems for sudden medical crises. Corporate spaces bring together employees, clients and visitors, any of whom might collapse or suffer cardiac arrest without warning.
In many workplaces, employees lack the practical knowledge and confidence to act in such emergencies. Dr Preprah said this gap could be addressed by making CPR training a standard part of workplace safety. He also recommended providing accessible first-aid equipment such as Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and training staff on their use.
CPR should not be reserved for doctors, nurses or medical professionals, Dr Preprah emphasised. He said the skill is useful for anyone who might witness a cardiac emergency in a workplace or public setting.
The call for CPR training in workplaces follows a broader global push for wider public access to life-saving skills. In Ghana and elsewhere, sudden cardiac arrests remain a leading cause of death outside hospitals, with survival rates low partly due to delayed or absent intervention.
Dr Preprah’s remarks add to a growing conversation about how corporate institutions can move beyond traditional safety measures and prepare for medical emergencies that strike without warning. His focus on practical training and equipment aims to reduce the time between collapse and treatment.
Kwame Dzokoto’s death has brought the issue into sharp relief in Takoradi. Whether it will prompt widespread change in workplace emergency protocols remains to be seen.
According to 3News.
