For an effective response to medical emergencies, Seplat Energy Plc, and the Health Emergency Initiative, HE!, recently empowered Nigerian secondary school students with the capacity for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, CPR and First Aid skills necessary to handle pre-hospital emergencies.
The initiative became imperative with the growing anxiety about the high incidence of cardiovascular diseases, CVDs such as heart attack, cardiac arrest, and the attendant fatalities among Nigerians in recent years.
It is no longer news that the menace of Road Traffic Accidents, RTA, and other traumatic injuries is mind-boggling. This is evident with the World Health Organisation, WHO, recently reporting that RTA was the biggest killer of young people, especially in Nigeria and third world countries.
Speaking during the flag-off of the 4-day programme held in Lagos, the Director, External Affairs and Sustainability, Seplat Energy Plc, Dr Chioma Nwachukwu, said Seplat was committed to empowering the youths and touching lives, which explains why it keyed into the lifesaving initiative.
According to her, “CPR and First Aid skills are needed by all and critical to saving lives during prehospital emergencies”.
Nwachukwu urged other corporate organisations and individuals to adopt the laudable CSR initiative by sponsoring more students, pointing out that HEI has a proven track record in transparency, accountability and project implementation.
She assured of increased collaboration with HEI towards expanding the footprint of its lifesaving initiatives.
Also speaking at the event, the representative of the Commissioner for Education, Lagos State, Mr. Ashaola Femi, applauded Seplat Energy Plc for the huge investment in young talents.
Femi acknowledged that the scheme could create systemic change from the current negative culture of taking pictures and videos at the scene of emergencies instead of assisting the victims.
He noted that it was this noble objective that informed the approval of the programme by the Ministry of Education for HEI to train all senior secondary school students in Lagos earlier in the year.
On his part, the Executive Director of Health Emergency Initiative (HEI), Paschal Achunine, expressed profound gratitude to Seplat Energy Plc for the huge support.
Achunine praised the company for its commitment to the sustainability of its operating environment, bearing in mind that any investment in young people would translate to business continuity.
While equally appreciating the goodwill of the Lagos State Government, Achunine noted that a total of 83 students, across 30 Secondary Schools, from the six Educational Districts in the State, participated in the programme.
He added that First Responders Clubs would be set up in the schools, in line with the ‘Train the Trainer’ model of the scheme. Also, activities such as essay competitions, quizzes and debates would be instituted in the schools, to foster a lifesaving culture in the State.
