The Cross River State Government, through the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (CRSPHCDA), has successfully trained frontline healthcare workers from all local government areas in Basic Life Support (BLS).
The Director General of the Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr (Mrs.) Vivien Otu, in an interview during the training held at the Conference Hall of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), stated that the training was a collaborative effort between the agency and the Society of Specialists in Airway Management Nigeria.
Dr. Otu emphasized that healthcare workers are often the first responders in emergencies, particularly in areas with limited access to secondary or tertiary healthcare facilities. She noted that equipping them with BLS skills empowers them to stabilize patients and potentially save lives before transferring them to higher levels of care.
She commended Governor Bassey Otu, describing him as a health-friendly father who prioritizes capacity building, rural healthcare delivery, and emergency response readiness. She also praised the management and staff of UCTH, as well as the workshop organizers, for their dedication in ensuring the training’s success.
Expressing concern over the growing trend of unethical behavior by individuals who are expected to support frontline workers during emergencies, Dr. Otu condemned the act of sharing sensitive situations on social media. She urged the public to always support healthcare workers during emergencies and called on beneficiaries of emergency response training to cascade the knowledge to their colleagues across their respective Local Government Areas.
Participants expressed gratitude to the state government for the opportunity to learn and refresh critical emergency response skills.
The BLS training also includes simulation exercises, team-based emergency drills, and certification for successful participants.
