The Federal Capital Territory Administration has begun Basic Life Support training for health workers from seven public hospitals as part of efforts to improve emergency response and reduce preventable deaths.
The four day programme follows national approval for implementation of a standard Basic Life Support training programme.
Participants are drawn from Asokoro, Maitama, Wuse, Gwarinpa, Kuje, Kubwa and Nyanya hospitals.
The American Heart Association certified training is being conducted at Asokoro District Hospital.
FCT Health and Environment Services Mandate Secretary Dolapo Fasawe said the programme was designed to improve the ability of health workers to respond quickly when patients suffer cardiac arrest or other life threatening emergencies.
She said participants would also be expected to share the knowledge with colleagues and communities in support of the National Community CPR Initiative.
The administration is working toward establishing Code Blue Teams across FCT hospitals to improve coordinated emergency response.
Fasawe said the programme would eventually be extended to additional health facilities, accompanied by basic equipment needed for emergency care.
Participants will undergo assessment at the end of the training and successful candidates will receive certification.
Asokoro District Hospital Medical Director Oluseyi Ashaolu said regularly updated emergency skills could make the difference between survival and death in critical cases.
Training coordinator Rosemary Nwokorie said the exercise was being delivered in batches.
The programme also includes a Stop the Bleeding course focused on controlling severe haemorrhage before definitive treatment.
The FCTA said better emergency preparedness could improve public confidence in government hospitals and strengthen the quality of care delivered during the first critical minutes of a medical emergency.
