A group, the Kaduna Maternal Accountability Mechanism (KADMAM), has called on the Kaduna State Government to pass legislation introducing Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training into the school curriculum.
Co-chair of KADMAM, Garba Muhammad, made the appeal on Friday during a media sensitisation programme organised by the Michael and David Alao Memorial Emergency Preparedness in collaboration with KADMAM and the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ).
Mohammed said the campaign was intended to strengthen accountability and improve emergency services established by the state government.
He noted that several avoidable deaths in the past highlighted the need to partner with the media to promote awareness of early medical intervention.
“The media are the mirror of society, and sensitising them means sensitising the public. We are teaching journalists the techniques for administering emergency support, especially CPR, to persons in distress,” he said.
Mohammed said introducing CPR into the school curriculum would enable thousands of secondary school students to acquire lifesaving first aid skills.
He added that CPR training would help nurture a generation of young people equipped to act during medical emergencies.
“CPR equips people with the ability to provide immediate care during emergencies. Learning basic first-aid skills gives young people the confidence to step in and help someone in need — and in extreme cases, it can save a life,” he said.
He urged the government to adopt the initiative to build a culture where lifesaving skills become common and instinctive.
“If every school leaver is trained in CPR, the impact on survival rates and community resilience will be immeasurable,” he added.
Also, a CPR trainer, Dr Euphemia Ugu, explained that the goal of CPR is to keep oxygen circulating through the lungs and the body, thereby delaying the death of tissues.
She said CPR significantly increases a victim’s chance of survival when bystanders act promptly, while also helping to prevent permanent brain damage caused by insufficient blood flow to the brain.
In a presentation, the head of Training and Flick, Kaduna State Emergency Ambulance Services (KADSEMSAS), Dr Oduma Lazarus, said the service was established to strengthen emergency healthcare delivery and ensure timely access to life-saving interventions.
He said KADSEMSAS operates a toll-free emergency line to ensure swift ambulance deployment, particularly for maternal, neonatal and accident-related emergencies.
According to him, the first 48 hours of emergency care are provided free, especially for pregnant women, children and accident victims.
Earlier, Kaduna State NUJ chairman, Comrade Abdulgafar Alabelewe, urged journalists to apply the knowledge gained from the training to educate residents, noting that emergencies can occur at any time.
“A lot of lives have been lost due to poor emergency response. When people know the right steps to take, more lives can be saved,” he said.
Also contributing, the secretary of the Board of the Michael and David Alao Memorial Emergency Preparedness (M&DAMEP), Gideon Akintade, said the sensitisation campaign was aimed at equipping journalists with the knowledge needed to respond during emergencies.
The foundation presented KADMAM, KADSEMSAS and NUJ with a digital BP testing machine and other souvenirs in recognition of their commitments to advocating sustainable and effective emergency services in the state.
