TotalEnergies Closed Pension Fund Administrators (CPFA) has partnered with the Health Emergency Initiative (HEI) to equip 200 students and teachers in Lagos and Rivers States with essential first responder skills.
Mr Paschal Achunine, Executive Director, HEI, in a statement on Friday in Lagos, said the collaboration underscores the urgency of strengthening Nigeria’s emergency response network.
According to him, the initiative is to foster a proactive approach to medical emergencies among young Nigerians.
He said the programme would deliver hands-on training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), first aid, trauma care and other prehospital skills.
Achunine emphasised that the skill was to ensure participants could provide immediate assistance in critical situations before professional medical help arrived.
“By integrating emergency preparedness into school curriculum and activities, the initiative is expected to create a lasting culture of lifesaving intervention within communities.
“With the increasing japa or migration syndrome in the healthcare sector, empowering non-health professionals with lifesaving skills is crucial.
“This initiative will help bridge the gap by training young individuals who can respond effectively to emergencies, reducing preventable deaths,” Achunine said.
Achunine said beyond practical training, the programme would establish First Responders Clubs in participating schools, fostering continuous learning and skill retention.
“This will also address the current practice of taking pictures and videos at the scene of an emergency rather than assisting the victims,” he stated.
Achunine disclosed that HEI has trained over 126,000 first responders across Nigeria since its establishment in 2015.
He said HEI, with a mission to prevent unnecessary loss of life due to delays in medical intervention, would continue to collaborate with various stakeholders, including government, schools, and corporate partners, to drive impactful change.
