Lagos Branch of the Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS) has called on the Federal Government and schools to make first aid training and education mandatory in schools.
Its Chairperson, Mrs Adebola Kolawole, said this would help in addressing emergencies, especially in children.
Kolawole made the declaration in a statement issued as part of activities organised to mark the 2021 World First Aid Day (WFAD).
She stated also that the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC), through the Global First Aid Reference Centre, advocated that first aid be an integral part of educational curricula.
Kolawole urged the Federal Government to include first aid education in schools, starting from kindergarten to secondary school level
She said teaching children on how to recognise dangers around them; ways to prevent the danger and knowing what to do if they sustained injuries would go a long way in achieving universal access to first aid.
WFAD is celebrated annually on the second Saturday of September to promote and advocate for first aid knowledge and skills.
The theme for 2021:“Be a First Aid Hero at School and in Your Community’’, is targeted at school children.
Kolawole said that this year’s theme focused on things that might pose danger to children on a typical school day; how they could be prevented and what to do in an emergency.
“We believe that teaching children preventive measures and helping them to identify possible hazards in their everyday lives may lead to a reduction in accidents in their environment.
“Basic first aid training will empower them to act in such conditions to reduce the consequences of everyday accidents,’’ she stated.
She quoted the WHO as stating that injuries accounted for 950,000 deaths each year.
Kolawole added that about 90 per cent of deaths were caused by unintentional accidents including, drowning, fire-related and road traffic injuries. (NAN)
