A Nigerian NGO has unveiled plans to train 750,000 first responders nationwide to strengthen emergency care and reduce preventable deaths.
The initiative is designed to address widespread gaps in pre-hospital emergency care in Nigeria. According to HEI, the programme will certify volunteers as first responders after they demonstrate willingness and competence in administering basic life-saving interventions such as first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). By equipping ordinary citizens with these skills, the NGO hopes to reduce fatalities from accidents, sudden illnesses, and other emergencies where professional medical help may be delayed hei.org.ng.
The plan targets 750,000 volunteers across the country, creating a community-based safety net that can respond quickly to crises. HEI emphasized that prompt intervention at the scene of an emergency can significantly reduce the severity of injuries and, in extreme cases, mean the difference between life and death.
Similar efforts are already underway in Nigeria. For example, Emergency Response Africa, in collaboration with the Edo State Government, has piloted a technology-driven network of trained community responders who can be dispatched within minutes to assist victims Fonds d’Innovation pour le Développement. International partners such as LFR International have also supported training programmes to supplement limited emergency services in Lagos and other urban centres lfrinternational.org.
Nigeria faces a high burden of preventable deaths due to road accidents, sudden cardiac arrests, and other emergencies where immediate intervention is critical. By scaling up first responder training, NGOs and their partners hope to build resilience within communities and reduce reliance on overstretched formal emergency services.
