By Kelvin Obambon
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in conjunction with the Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS), Cross River branch, has organized a 3-day training workshop on First Aid for journalists and media representatives in the state.
The workshop held between Monday 14 and Wednesday 16 October, 2024 at the Metropolitan Hotel, Calabar, was aimed at providing essential life-saving skills and enhancing the capacity of journalists to respond effectively to emergencies arising within and outside the workplace.
Speaking at the conclusion of the 3-day workshop, the branch secretary of NRCS, Mr Eni Joseph, said “the idea for the training of journalists is actually not new. This is the second time we are initiating it. Based on your area of professionalism you are actually expose to some certain level of risks in your line of duty, so the knowledge of First Aid at work could be very useful. You can use it to help your colleagues, family and friends. It is a life-saving skill you actually need to have.”
Joseph emphasized that the goal of First Aid is to save life by preventing a situation from becoming worse, and as well as facilitate quick recovery. He said the knowledge of First Aid is dynamic and as such there is the need for retraining to equip First Aiders with new skills to continue to serve humanity by rendering First Aid services.
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“Retraining is the key to stay up-to-date,” he said.
On his part, Mr Daniel Edobor, a First Aid and pre hospital care specialist, ICRC, Abuja, highlighted the scope of the training to include, placing casualty in a recovery position, Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), how to stop bleeding, how to manage fracture, how to deal with home injuries – burns, how to transport casualty to the hospital for treatment, among others.
Expressing confidence on the quality of training given to members of the fourth estate of the realm, Edobor who was one of the lead facilitators, noted that the training “emphasized on hands-on skill. With hands-on skill people don’t forget what they practice. Throughout the 3 days it was more of participants practicing what they’re learning. Like a take home, we advised them to teach their colleagues and of course their family at home. This is also a way of retaining and rotating the knowledge they’ve acquired.”
At the end of the workshop, an ICRC standard First Aid kits and certificates were issued to 25 journalists drawn from the electronic, print and online media, who fully took part in the activity centered training.
