Red Cross Charges Journalists to Cultivate, Educate Public on First Aid

Rebecca Ejifoma

The Red Cross Society of Nigeria (RCSN), Tuesday, charged journalists to cultivate the skills of first aid to save their lives while on duty in areas of conflict and violence.

This was the thrust of the three-day First Aid Training, which runs from Tuesday, September 14 to Thursday, September 16, in Lagos State.

It was organised by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in collaboration with the Nigerian Red Cross, and the Red Crescent.

The training focused on first aid practice, safety and security, recovery position, full body examination, bleeding, breathing, burns, and broken bones among others considering the safety challenges linked to the work of journalism.

The Head of Training and Resource Mobilisation at Red Cross Society Abuja, Audu Goji, harped on the importance of journalists having first aid skills should they or their colleagues be injured.

He emphasised: “We find out that first aid is necessary for everybody now and we found out that the journalists will be injured while carrying out their responsibilities.

“So we decided that it is very necessary for them to be trained in first aid. If they are injured or any of their colleagues is injured during their services they can render help as far as first aid is concerned.”

With first aid as the core mandate of the Red Cross Society, Goji, therefore, implored journalists to educate people on the significance of first aid because it’s not a one man responsibility. “We want everybody to have that knowledge of first aid.”

According to the head of training, Nigeria is over 200 million and the health services will not be able to cater to her populace. “By the time everyone has knowledge of first aid they will be able to compliment the effort of the hospital.”

Goji further noted that if every Nigerian is equipped with first aid skills, more deaths will be averted.

There were 20 journalists from 13 media organisations, including electronic media, currently participating in the workshop which afforded them both practical and theoretical aspects.