Lagos students, teachers trained on Emergency Response Care

Health Emergency Initiative (HEI), a non governmental organisation, in partnership with the US Diplomatic Mission in Nigeria, has trained selected students and teachers from secondary schools in Lagos State on Emergency Response Care (ERC), equipping them with life-saving skills.

Dozens of students and teachers were trained on how to provide immediate and effective assistance to individuals experiencing medical emergencies, accidents, or life-threatening situations before professional medical help arrives.

They received training on a combination of first aid, CPR, and other pre-hospital interventions designed to stabilise a victim and increase their chances of survival, certifying them as first responders.

Speaking at the event held at the American Corner at Ikeja on Thursday, Paschal Achunine, executive director of HEI, emphasised the importance of the initiative in fostering a culture of emergency preparedness among young people.

“This is not just an occasion, it’s about systemic change. Instead of people taking pictures and videos when an emergency happens, this is a step, a pragmatic one indeed, to help young people acquire the critical skills required during the golden hours of an emergency,” Achunine said.

He commended the American Diplomatic Mission for sponsoring the initiative and the Lagos State Ministry of Education for approving the integration of first responders’ training into the curriculum of secondary schools in the state.

As part of the programme, HEI has established first responders’ clubs in participating schools, requiring each student to train at least 50 others within 30 days.

According to Achunine, HEI has trained over 106,000 people across 12 states in Nigeria in the last ten years and aims to reduce emergency-related deaths in the country by at least 20% annually.

Amanda Roach Brown, acting public affairs officer in the US Consulate General Lagos, highlighted the US Mission’s commitment to supporting community-driven initiatives.

“We depend on Nigerian organisations to know the needs in the community and then come and present those ideas to us so that we can work together to bring them to life,” she said.

She noted that a major reason for supporting the initiative was the need for more first responders to handle emergencies effectively.

“There are many times where there are accidents, and people unfortunately lose their lives because there was no one around who could administer some kind of first responder care,” Brown said.

Speaking at the event, Oluwatoni Adeyemi, the senior special assistant on health, described the initiative as “laudable” and emphasised its potential to save lives beyond schools.

“Emergencies could occur anywhere, even in school, on their way home, while they are walking back home, and being trained in basic life support skills is essential,” Adeyemi stated.

Shitta Bey Aramide, deputy director and head of the NGO Unit at the Lagos State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, reaffirmed the government’s support for the programme, praising HEI’s work in underserved communities.

“We want it to be in all of our districts. This emergency training is something that everybody should know,” she said.