YENAGOA, NIGERIA — The Bayelsa State Government has trained over 150 students and teachers in emergency response techniques, including first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, as part of efforts to save lives and shorten medical response times in emergency situations across the state.
The training, organised by the Bayelsa State Emergency Medical Services in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, was held at selected secondary schools in Yenagoa, the state capital. Participants received practical instruction in basic life support, wound management, bleeding control, and the proper handling of medical emergencies before the arrival of professional responders.
Addressing the participants at the closing ceremony, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Pabara Newton Igwele, described the training as a critical investment in the state’s healthcare system. He noted that in emergencies, the first few minutes are often the difference between life and death, and that equipping students and teachers with basic emergency response skills would significantly improve survival rates in communities.
“In many cases, the people closest to an accident or medical emergency are not health professionals. They are ordinary citizens,” Igwele stated. “If they know what to do within the first few minutes, they can save lives. That is why this training is so important. It will save lives in Bayelsa.”
The Commissioner explained that the state government was committed to expanding emergency medical services across Bayelsa, including the establishment of more response units and the training of more community-based first responders. He noted that the training would be extended to other schools, markets, and public institutions in subsequent phases.
The participants, drawn from 10 secondary schools across Yenagoa, were enthusiastic about the training. One of them, Preye Tare, a Senior Secondary School Two student, said she had learned how to perform CPR and manage bleeding, skills she described as invaluable. “I never knew I could learn to save a life. Now I can help someone in an emergency,” she said.
A teacher who participated in the training, Mrs. Ebiere Okon, said the programme had equipped educators with skills that would benefit not just the school community but the wider society. She called on the government to sustain the initiative and extend it to rural areas.
The Bayelsa State Emergency Medical Services said it would continue to partner with schools and community groups to build a network of trained first responders across the state. The agency also announced plans to establish a toll-free emergency response line and acquire additional ambulances to improve response times. The training is part of the state’s broader strategy to strengthen emergency care and reduce preventable deaths from accidents, drowning, and sudden medical emergencies, which are common in riverine Bayelsa communities.
