In an effort aimed at improving access to healthcare and emergency preparedness across Nigeria, NaijAidUK and HealthAid Charity Wednesday, expanded their partnership with the Lagos and Ogun State Ministries of Health, training hundreds of healthcare workers and first responders to enhance the country’s emergency response systems.
At the Intermediate Life Support (ILS) Training and First Aid Train-the-Trainer course, the organisations equipped over 70 healthcare professionals from Lagos and Ogun States and more than 100 undergraduates and first responders from across Nigeria with critical life-saving skills.
The initiative forms part of their broader mission to bridge healthcare capacity gaps between Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
Speaking at the event in Lagos, the CEO and Founding Trustee of NaijAidUK and HealthAid Charity, Dr. Olanrewaju Nehan-Babalola, explained that the organisation’s long-term vision is sustainability through knowledge transfer.
“One of our most impactful programmes is the train-the-trainer model, where students and community members receive first aid training and return to teach others. It creates a multiplier effect, ensuring that even when we’re not there, the knowledge continues to spread,” he stated.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, who was represented by the Head of Special Projects at the ministry, Dr. Tolu Ajomale, commended the initiative for strengthening local emergency systems.
“Emergencies can happen anywhere. Initiatives like NaijAidUK are vital because they empower ordinary citizens to act quickly when lives are at stake. In most emergencies, the first responder isn’t a doctor but a nearby person with basic life-saving skills,” he said.
Also speaking, the Director, Ogun State Ambulance and Emergency Services, Dr. Hassan Adelakun, who represented the Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Hon. Tomi Coker, urged Nigerians to embrace preparedness and compassion during crises.
“We cannot wait for a perfect system; we must act decisively and build communities ready to respond. NaijAidUK’s training programmes embody this spirit and ensure that life-saving knowledge reaches every layer of society,” he said.
The training featured renowned facilitators, including the Chairman of NaijAidUK and HealthAidNG Charity, Dr. John Babalola, who led practical sessions based on the UK Resuscitation Council and American Heart Association protocols.
Other UK-based clinicians, Dr. Caroline Abisogun and Dr. Folake-Bewaji Dawodu, also delivered impactful modules on patient care, cardiac arrest response and emergency management.
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