A non-governmental organisation, Health Emergency Initiative, has called on the Federal Government to include First Responders Training in secondary schools curriculum.
The organisation said the call became necessary to equip young people with the skills needed to handle emergencies, thereby reducing death rates.
The Executive Director of the organisation, Paschal Achunine, made the call during an exclusive interview with our correspondent at the close of a four-day ‘Safety/First Aid Training for Secondary School Students and Teachers’.
The training concluded on Friday at Community Secondary School, Okoro Nu-Odo, Rumuagholu, Rumuokoro, in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
The programme was sponsored by TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Closed Pension Fund Administrator, a subsidiary of TotalEnergies, in collaboration with the Rivers State Ministries of Education and Health.
Achunine stated, “We took a step further to have this programme integrated in the curriculum of secondary schools, to be offered as a subject.
As it is happening in Rivers State, two other states—Lagos and Kwara—have also taken a clue from this to ensure that young people, the way they offer Biology, Physical and Health Education, now offer First Responders Training.
They are able to build it as a culture, acquire it as a way of life to do the right thing when an emergency happens.”
He continued, “Based on the reception and the goodwill from Lagos, Kwara and Rivers State, where there was documented approval upon seeing the justification provided, we have begun engagement with the Federal Ministry of Education to ensure that it also keys into this.
“It will be a pan-Nigerian initiative for every state in Nigeria to integrate First Responders Training in their learning curriculum.”
Achunine also raised concerns over the increasing number of cardiovascular-related incidents and other pre-hospital emergencies that result in avoidable deaths.
The shock is that more than 40% of everyone who dies in Nigeria today dies before they get to a health facility. The solution is not taking pictures and videos and posting on social media,” he lamented.
“The solution is to equip the bystanders—everyone who is usually at the scene of such incidents.
We realized that young people are critical in driving this change, which is why we are working with the Rivers State Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health.”
Speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Education, Mrs. AzibaolanariUzoma-Nwogu, lauded the rationale behind the initiative.
Represented by the Deputy Director of Secondary Education, Gbaranwi Charles, she pledged the ministry’s support in ensuring the sustainability of the training through school-based First Responders clubs.
We decided to join them in collaboration so that we can make the students stand firm when they face that kind of challenge in society,” she said.
To ensure continuity, clubs will be formed in schools for health emergencies so that when challenges of this nature occur, they can do the needful.
We cover both junior and senior secondary students, “she stated.
She added, “It’s the responsibility of the ministry to monitor these clubs. When we see these clubs doing well, it will go a long way.
There is nothing good that the state will not support. The ministry is also interested in working toward ensuring that the First Responders Training is included in the curriculum”.
Some students who participated in the training expressed their appreciation and shared what they learned.
My name is AmasonChiemezie, an SS2 student of Bright Leaders Academy, Ogale, Eleme LGA. I have learnt how to treat snake bites, burns, and attend to people who faint, among others.
These trainings will help me a lot in case I encounter such accidents anywhere I am. I would like to thank the organization for organizing such an event,” said one of the participants.
Dr. Abigail Mkperedem-Hassan, Chief Training Instructor with Health Emergency Initiative, said the training covered non-communicable diseases, including diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, seizures, epilepsy, sudden cardiac arrest, neck immobilization, heart attacks, and sports-related injuries.
Our correspondent reports that the final day of training involved 17 schools—three private and 14 government-owned—across six local government areas: Port Harcourt City, Obio/Akpor, Eleme, Okrika, Oyigbo, and Etche. Over 250 participants were trained and issued certificates of participation
