Health Emergency Initiative, MK Foundation Expand Support for Road Crash Victims, Train First Responders

The Health Emergency Initiative (HEI), supported by The M. Kukoyi Foundation, (MKF) USA, has announced significant progress in its community emergency response efforts, including the expansion of its first responders training programme and post-crash care support for road traffic victims in Lagos.

As of the end of 2025, HEI successfully trained 14 cohorts of medical students under its train-the-trainer (TOT) model, drawn primarily from the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) and the University College Hospital (UCH).

The programme equips participants with critical lifesaving skills—including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), trauma response, bleeding control, choking management, and emergency scene coordination—while preparing them to train others within their communities.

Through the TOT approach, each trained cohort serves as a multiplier of lifesaving knowledge, enabling the cascading transfer of emergency response skills to residents across communities. This strategy forms a core part of MKF and HEI’s effort to strengthen prehospital emergency care and community preparedness in Nigeria.

This programme builds on the success of MKF & HEI’s earlier First Responders Training initiative conducted two years ago, which trained nine cohorts of medical students as TOTs. Those trainees went on to directly train over 503 residents across communities in Mushin, Kosofe, Ojodu, Idi-Araba, and several other LGAs in Lagos State.
In addition to the training program, HEI also provided lifesaving medical assistance to 70 road traffic accident victims through funding from the MKF.

This support marks the fourth consecutive year of MKF’s sponsorship of HEI’s Post-Crash Care Intervention, which helps cover emergency medical treatment for trauma victims who might otherwise be unable to access urgent care.

Over the last four years, the intervention has supported 216 beneficiaries across 27 health facilities, achieving an impressive 90 percent survival rate across eight states in Nigeria. The initiative addresses a critical gap in emergency care where accident victims often face delays in treatment due to financial constraints.

Commenting on the partnership, Mobola Kukoyi, founder, The M. Kukoyi Foundation, said: “We have seen that the post-crash care intervention implemented by HEI has brought measurable succor to trauma victims.

This is why the Foundation has continued to support the programme over the past four consecutive years. Going forward, we believe there is also a strong need for more robust data to guide planning and attract greater scientific support for trauma care interventions.”

Speaking on the initiative, Paschal Achunine, the executive director, Health Emergency Initiative, emphasised the importance of community preparedness and strategic partnerships.

“Every minute counts in an emergency. By training medical students as Trainers of Trainers, we are creating a sustainable network of lifesavers within our communities. At the same time, our post-crash care intervention ensures that accident victims receive timely treatment regardless of financial barriers. We are deeply grateful to the MKF Foundation for its consistent support in advancing this lifesaving mission.”

Nigeria continues to face significant challenges in prehospital emergency response, where lack of immediate intervention often contributes to preventable deaths. HEI’s integrated approach—combining community training with emergency medical support for trauma victims—helps bridge this critical gap while strengthening the country’s emergency response ecosystem.

The initiatives are aligned with HEI’s mission: “None Should Die.”