A Pakistani emergency first-aider who has just moved to Malta managed to stop a young woman’s head from bleeding profusely after she was seriously injured falling down a flight of stairs in Paceville.

He then stayed with her in hospital for several hours to comfort her, despite being a complete stranger.

Kamran Khalid, who was certified as an international emergency first-aider in October, had just finished having dinner with a friend on Friday night when he noticed a big group of people and police gathering at the stairway.

A young woman was lying on the ground outside a club, her head covered in blood.

At that moment, he knew he had to help, he said, recounting his experience with the intention of putting across to others the importance of knowing first aid. 

“I went up to the police and showed them my emergency aider card, and they allowed me to help this young woman who was panicking since she was bleeding so much,” the 29-year-old told Times of Malta.

After he and the police managed to push the crowd back, he began to perform first aid on the young woman, who appeared to have slipped and hit her head on the floor tiles outside the club.

“Her friend was also panicking and throwing water on her wound, but that is very dangerous. I asked my friend to give me his hoodie, and I tore the hoodie into pieces which I placed on her wound.”

His hands and jeans covered in her blood, he was concerned that the bleeding wasn't going to stop. 

“She had a large wound on the right side of her head, and I did not want to put too much pressure on the wound, in case dirt or particles were trapped and it would make the situation worse."

Fortunately, by the time the ambulance arrived, he had managed to stop the bleeding. 

The emergency nurse asked him to accompany the young women to hospital, even though they were strangers.

"Her condition was said to be critical," Khalid said.

They got there at about 4am and Khalid was allowed to remain with her and was asked to help clean her wounds. 

“Her hair was full of blood. Her wound was around three inches long,” he recalled. 

“The most horrible moment was cleaning her hair and seeing the blood clots. I had to hold myself back from crying. The smell of blood remained on my hands even after I got home and washed them again and again.”

Following a CT scan, the young woman ended up with 11 stitches to her head.

‘I held her hand the whole time’

But after realising that she would be alone in the hospital, Khalid decided to stay with her and keep her company. 

“She kept crying and telling me she was here in Malta with no friends or relatives,” he said. 

“I looked at her and told her ‘don’t worry, you just made a good friend’ and I told her I would stay with her until she was better. She kept telling me to go home, to rest, and to not lose out on my work, but I decided I would stay with her.” 

He said that while she was holding his hand she asked him why he was helping a complete stranger. 

“I realised that I didn’t give her wealth or property, but I was giving her my time. This is what humanity means, that regardless of race, colour, nationality, religion or language, we should be there for one another."

That afternoon, after she was discharged, Khalid made sure she got home safely. 

Khalid shared his story on a local expat Facebook group and was showered in praise for his actions. 

One commenter, Silvia Bond, said: "I'm a qualified first aid trainer... The more people know the better! You never know when you'll need it. Approximately 60 per cent of deaths could be avoidable with a first aid responder."

"Bravo for getting involved and taking action," she told Khalid. "It's not an easy thing to do like people tend to believe it is!" 

“I am very lucky”

Times of Malta reached out to the young Italian, who wished to remain anonymous.

She said she remembered being in the club with a friend and deciding to leave. While she said she did not remember the fall, she remembers that the tiles were wet because it had rained. 

“I don’t remember the fall itself or what happened afterward,” she said. 

“I remember being at the hospital with him (Khalid). I feel very appreciative that he was there. I am very lucky.”

‘The first angels to save lives’

The role of a first-aider is to provide immediate, temporary care to someone who is ill or injured.

A first-aider should be able to carry out basic life support procedures, such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or using an automated external defibrillator (AED), or putting someone in the recovery position. 

Khalid, who moved to Malta just 10 days ago, works in the catering industry but after being critically injured in an accident four years ago, he has spent many hours studying first aid. 

“I was in a bike accident and for a good 15 minutes I was bleeding and no one came to help me,” he said. 

“When I woke up in the hospital bed and doctors explained what happened to me, from that moment I decided I would study and become someone who would help and save other people.”

Khalid is certified to carry out the role and responsibilities of a first-aider, assessing an incident, unresponsive casualties, choking, shock and minor injuries. 

“I would suggest that educational institutions add at least basic first aid programmes so everyone can learn how to appropriately respond to an emergency,” he said. 

“According to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, 59 per cent of deaths from injuries may have been avoided with basic first aid. Certified first-aiders are the first angels to save lives.”