Correspondent Report
The Nasarawa State Ministry of Health, in partnership with the World Bank–supported Impact Program on Rural Emergency Services and Maternal Transport (RESMAT), has launched a three-day Community First Aid and Emergency Response training aimed at strengthening the state’s frontline emergency services.
The pilot session, held in Lafia, brought together 30 health workers and 10 emergency drivers drawn from Lafia and Karu Local Government Areas. The training targets the first responders who play a crucial role in stabilizing patients—especially pregnant women and other vulnerable groups—before they reach a health facility.
According to officials, the initiative aligns with the ongoing Nigeria Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System (NEMSAS) and supports the state’s drive to reduce maternal and newborn mortality through timely, coordinated, and skilled emergency response.
Participants received hands-on training in first aid procedures, basic life support, patient assessment, management of common emergencies, and safe patient transport. Special focus was placed on maternal emergencies such as postpartum hemorrhage, obstructed labour, and hypertensive crises. Emergency drivers were also equipped with skills in communication, referral protocols, and maternal transport safety standards.
The Ministry noted that this pilot phase lays the foundation for expanding the training across all 13 LGAs of Nasarawa State, ensuring a stronger and more responsive emergency care system statewide.
Strengthening community-level emergency response, the Ministry emphasized, is central to improving survival outcomes, particularly in rural areas where timely access to care is often limited.
The collaboration with the World Bank through RESMAT further reflects Nasarawa’s commitment to adopting innovative, evidence-based strategies to safeguard mothers, newborns, and the wider population.
Once fully scaled, the programme is expected to boost NEMSAS operations, cut preventable deaths, and enhance public trust in emergency and maternal care services across the state.
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