By Murjanatu M. Abba
The Africa Centre of Excellence for Neglected Tropical Diseases and Forensic Biotechnology (ACENTDFB), Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, has organised and sponsored a one-day hands-on First Aid training workshop to equip participants with life-saving skills during emergencies.
The training, which brought together selected participants from various units of the university, was held recently at the ACENTDFB Centre.
Speaking at the event, the Centre Leader, Prof. Y.K.E. Ibrahim, explained that the primary objective was to make first aid knowledge accessible across university units. He expressed optimism that the initiative would significantly benefit the university community by reducing incidents of sudden collapse and preventable deaths.
Prof. Ibrahim revealed that the decision to organise the training was informed by a tragic incident two years ago involving a student of the centre who suddenly collapsed during a football match. He noted that although the student was only a spectator, no immediate first aid assistance was available at the critical moment. The student was later confirmed dead at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital.
He further lamented the shortage of certified First Aid responders within the university, noting that emergencies are often handled by untrained personnel. According to him, the initiative was undertaken in collaboration with the Centre’s Safeguard Officer, Prof. Hussaina Makun, who facilitated engagement with the Nigerian Red Cross Society to conduct the training.
The Centre Leader also disclosed that participants would receive certificates valid for two years and recognised across West Africa. He added that the trainees are expected to cascade the knowledge acquired by training at least one person per month, with a target of eight persons each within a year. Their progress, he said, would be monitored, and outstanding participants may be sponsored for advanced training in the three-stage First Aid training programme.
Facilitators from the Nigerian Red Cross Society, Mr Carter Babatunde Olayemi and Mr Abubakar Abdurrazaq Nakore, led the training sessions. Mr Olayemi described first aid as the immediate assistance given to a sick or injured person before professional medical care is available, stressing that it combines practical skills with sound judgment.
He explained that the core objectives of first aid include preserving life, preventing the condition from worsening, and promoting recovery. He also introduced participants to the “DR ABCD” approach: Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing, Circulation (Compression), and Defibrillation, as a guiding framework in emergencies.
The training featured practical demonstrations, with participants actively engaged in hands-on exercises.
In her remarks, the Centre’s Safeguard Officer, Prof. Hussaina Makun, stated that participants were drawn from units including the ABU Sports Division, University Health Services (Sick Bay), National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI), Centre for Biotechnology Research and Training (CBRT), Veterinary Public Health, and the Department of Biochemistry, among others. She added that some students were also included to ensure broader impact and self-reliance within the university community.
According to her, the long-term goal is to establish a widespread network of certified first aid responders across ABU.
Participants expressed appreciation to the centre for the initiative and pledged to replicate the training within their respective units.
Management Staff present at the event included the Deputy Centre Leader, Prof. Mohammed Mamman; Safeguard Officer, Prof. Hussaina Makun; Administrative Officer, Malam Idris Abdulsalam; Procurement Officer, Mr. Nuhu Ishaya; Communications Officer, Dr Murjanatu M. Abba; ICT Officer, Malam Ibrahim Sani; and the Centre Secretary, Mr. Silas Yashim, among others.
