One hundred high school students drawn from 20 schools located in Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra state have been trained on how to administer first aid to persons experiencing cardio-pulmonary crises and other common medical emergencies. The training organised and sponsored by a non-profit organisation, JDM Global Foundation, was meant to expose the participants to the techniques of resuscitating people facing heart and lung-related medical crises.
By Emma Ogbuehi
One hundred high school students drawn from 20 schools located in Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra state have been trained on how to administer first aid to persons experiencing cardio-pulmonary crises and other common medical emergencies.
The training organised and sponsored by a non-profit organisation, JDM Global Foundation, was meant to expose the participants to the techniques of resuscitating people facing heart and lung-related medical crises.
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Welcoming the participants to Ukpor, the venue of the training and headquarters of Nnewi South Local Government Area, the president and founder of the Foundation, Lolo Jennifer Madubuko who was represented by the Secretary of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, the Venerable Okey Ifionu, said the training was part of her organisation’s “commitment to saving life, creating awareness, empowering young people and building a healthier and safer community.”
She said that “knowledge is power, but life-saving knowledge is priceless. “According to her, many lives are lost every day because people do not know what to do during health emergencies.
The training, she explained, was in line with the vision of her organisation to bring succour and improved standards of living to the less privileged. “The purpose of this programme is to equip participants with simple skills such as cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, first aid, or quick response, which can make the difference between life and death,” she said, adding “At the Foundation, the emphasis is on promoting health awareness, humanitarian services, education for the disadvantaged, and community development. We believe that every young person should have the opportunity to learn practical skills that can help families, schools, churches, and communities in moments of health crises.”
Beneficiaries of the training are expected to return to their various schools and communities to share and teach others what they have learned.
Awards were given to the best three performing students during the training. Present at the event were some dignitaries from the local government Council and principals of some of the participating schools.
In his own remarks, the chairman of Nnewi South Local Government, Chief George Ezeogidi, commended JDM Foundation for her commitment to the health and well-being of Nigerians. He recalled that the training was the seventh in the series of programmes sponsored by the organisation in different parts of Nigeria to offer relief to the disadvantaged.
In her own comments, the deputy chairman of the Council, Mrs. Nneka Ireka charged the participants to take full advantage of the two-day training by learning as much as possible in order to help create health awareness in their various communities and schools.
People, she said, had died avoidable deaths because of lack of quick response or first aid by those around them. With the number of participants in the training, she hoped that the situation would get better. She commended JDM Foundation for her philanthropic gestures such as the provision of boreholes, food distribution, medical outreaches, and the offer of scholarships to indigent pupils and students. Mrs Ireka also thanked the medical team led by Chukwuebuka Sam-Okpala for their thoroughness.
As part of the programme, JDM Foundation also donated essential hospital equipment to two health centres in Ukpor and Ebenator communities in aid of healthcare delivery. Handing over the materials to the health officials, Mr. Chidiebere Obiekwe, the South East coordinator of JDM, said the gesture was the Foundation’s own contribution towards improving the services of the health centres.
At the end of the two-day training, participants were issued with certificates while the three best performing students received cash prizes in addition to sponsorship of their West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE) fees by JDM Foundation.
