NkwaSafe
Your Life Guide
Nkwa Guides
Bleeding Control
Stop bleeding with direct pressure
Burns Treatment
Cool, cover, and protect burns
Choking Response
Clear airway with back blows
CPR Guide
Chest compressions & rescue breaths
Road Accident
Scene safety and victim care
Stroke (FAST)
Recognize signs quickly
Joint Stabilization
Sprains, fractures & dislocations
Emergency Directory
All Ghana emergency numbers
Coming Soon
Video tutorials and interactive lessons will be available here.
Quick Tips
Stay Calm
In an emergency, take a deep breath. A calm responder helps victims feel safer.
Call 112 First
For serious emergencies, always call for professional help before starting first aid.
Safety First
Always check that the scene is safe for you before helping others.
Ensure Safety
Make sure the area is safe. Wear gloves if available to protect yourself.
Apply Direct Pressure
Press firmly on the wound using a clean cloth, gauze, or your hand.
Add More Cloth
If blood soaks through, DO NOT remove it. Add more cloth on top.
Call for Help
If bleeding doesn't stop within 10 minutes, call 112 immediately. After calling, take them to the nearest emergency department if safe.
Critical Warning
If bleeding is severe or spurting:
- Press HARD on the wound
- Do NOT remove any cloth
- Keep pressure steady
- Call 112 immediately
- After calling 112, go to the nearest emergency department.
Ensure Safety
Make sure you and the person are safe. Remove clothing near the burn only if it's not stuck to the skin.
Cool with Water
Run COOL (not cold) water over the burn for 10-20 minutes. This reduces pain and damage.
Cover the Burn
Loosely cover with a clean, non-fluffy material like cling film or a clean plastic bag.
Seek Medical Help
For burns larger than your palm, on the face/hands/joints, or if blistered/charred, call 112. After calling, go to the nearest emergency department if safe.
Severe Burn Signs
Seek immediate help if:
- Burn is larger than palm size
- Skin is white, brown, or charred
- Burn is on face, hands, or feet
- Person is a child or elderly
- After calling 112, go to the nearest emergency department.
Assess the Situation
Ask "Are you choking?" If they can cough forcefully, encourage coughing. If they cannot speak, cough, or breathe - act immediately.
Give 5 Back Blows
Stand beside and slightly behind. Support their chest with one hand, lean them forward. Give 5 firm blows between shoulder blades with the heel of your hand.
Heimlich Maneuver (5 Thrusts)
Stand behind, wrap arms around waist. Make a fist above navel, grasp with other hand. Pull sharply inward and upward 5 times.
Repeat Until Clear
Alternate 5 back blows and 5 abdominal thrusts until object is expelled, person can breathe, or becomes unconscious.
Choking Alone? Self-Relief
If you are choking and alone:
- Make a fist above your navel
- Grasp fist with other hand
- Thrust inward and upward sharply
- OR lean over a chair back/counter edge and thrust your upper abdomen against it
- Repeat until object is expelled
If Person Becomes Unconscious
If they stop responding:
- Lower them gently to the ground
- Call 112 immediately
- Begin CPR with chest compressions
- Check mouth for visible object before each breath
- After calling 112, go to the nearest emergency department.
Check Response
Shake shoulders gently and shout "Are you okay?" Look for any response.
Call 112 & Check Breathing
Call emergency services. Look for chest movement and listen for breathing for no more than 10 seconds. After calling, prepare to go to the nearest emergency department when advised.
Start Chest Compressions
Place heel of hand on center of chest. Push hard and fast - at least 5cm deep, 100-120 per minute. Use the timer below!
Continue Until Help Arrives
Don't stop! If someone else is present, take turns every 2 minutes to avoid fatigue. Tired compressions are less effective.
CPR Technique
Push hard, push fast!
- Heel of hand on center of chest
- Push down at least 5cm (2 inches)
- 100-120 compressions per minute
- Let chest fully recoil between pushes
Don't Get Tired!
Fatigue reduces compression effectiveness:
- If someone else is present, take turns every 2 minutes
- Switch quickly - minimize pauses
- Keep compressions deep and fast
- Continue until emergency help arrives
- After calling 112, prepare for transport to the nearest emergency department when advised.
Ensure Safety
Turn off engines, set up warning signs, keep others away from traffic.
Call 112
Give exact location, number of injured, and describe the situation. After calling, take victims to the nearest emergency department only if it is safe and advised.
Check Victims
Check consciousness and breathing. DO NOT move unless in immediate danger.
Control Bleeding
Apply pressure to visible wounds. Keep victims calm and still.
Do Not Move Victims
Unless there's fire or explosion risk:
- Keep their head and neck still
- Talk to them, keep them calm
- Wait for emergency services
- Be ready to give CPR if needed
- After calling 112, go to the nearest emergency department if it is safe and advised.
Face Drooping
Ask them to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
Arm Weakness
Ask them to raise both arms. Does one arm drift down?
Speech Difficulty
Ask them to repeat a simple phrase. Is speech slurred?
Time to Call 112
If ANY signs present, call immediately! Note the time symptoms started. After calling, go to the nearest emergency department immediately.
Stroke Warning Signs
A stroke may start with:
- Sudden severe headache with no known cause
- Sudden confusion or trouble understanding
- Sudden numbness in face, arm, or leg (especially one side)
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Sudden dizziness, loss of balance, or difficulty walking
Time Is Brain
Every minute counts!
- Call 112 - say "possible stroke"
- Note EXACT time symptoms started
- Do NOT give food or drink
- Keep person comfortable and calm
- After calling 112, go to the nearest emergency department immediately.
Don't Move the Joint
Keep the injured joint in the position you found it. Don't try to straighten or relocate it.
Apply Ice (If Available)
Wrap ice or cold pack in cloth. Apply to reduce swelling for 15-20 minutes. Never apply ice directly to skin.
Immobilize with Splint
Use a rigid object (stick, rolled newspaper, cardboard) padded with cloth. Secure above and below the joint with bandages or cloth strips.
Seek Medical Care
All suspected fractures and dislocations need professional medical evaluation. Call 112 for severe injuries. After calling, go to the nearest emergency department if safe.
Signs of Serious Injury
Call 112 immediately if:
- Bone is visible or protruding
- Limb appears deformed
- Numbness or tingling below injury
- Skin is pale, blue, or cold
- Unable to move fingers/toes
- After calling 112, go to the nearest emergency department if safe.
Emergency Services
Nearest Emergency Department
Use your location to find the closest emergency department for urgent care.
Support Hotlines
Offline Audio (English)
Download English voice guides once for offline use. After this, audio plays without new API calls.
All numbers are free to call from any phone
Before You Help
Always ensure your own safety first
Check the Scene
- Look for dangers: traffic, fire, electrical wires, unstable structures
- Do not enter if the scene is unsafe
- Move the person only if there's immediate danger
Protect Yourself
- Wear gloves if available when dealing with blood
- Use a barrier (cloth, plastic) when giving rescue breaths
- Wash hands thoroughly after providing first aid
Call for Help
- Call 112 for serious emergencies
- Ask someone nearby to call while you help
- Give clear location and describe the situation
NkwaSafe
Your Life Guide
NkwaSafe is a life-saving first aid guide designed for Ghana. Get step-by-step emergency instructions in multiple local languages.
Methods
We built NkwaSafe as a progressive web app with Flask, TypeScript, and modern web tooling. Emergency guide content was adapted from first-aid best practices and localized for Ghanaian languages. Hospital and directory data were compiled from public health listings and curated sources, with offline-ready assets for reliable access.
Features
- Step-by-step guides
- Voice instructions
- Multiple languages
- Works offline
Version 2.0