FCTA trains health workers in basic life support to boost emergency care
By Ojoma Akor
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has commenced a four-day Basic Life Support (BLS) training for health workers from seven FCT hospitals.
A statement from the office of the Mandate Secretary, Health Services and Environment Secretariat (HSES), signed by the media aide, Bola Ajao, said the training is in line with the National Council on Health’s approval for the implementation of the National BLS Training Program across the country.
The statement said the American Heart Association (AHA) certified training aims to improve health workers’ ability to respond quickly to emergencies and provide basic life-saving care while further medical intervention is in progress.
Declaring the training program open, the Mandate Secretary, Health Services and Environment Secretariat (HSES), Dr. Dolapo Fasawe, said the exercise would improve emergency services across FCT hospitals and help reduce preventable deaths.
She said participants would share the knowledge gained with their colleagues and members of the public, in support of the National Community CPR Initiative.
Dr. Fasawe said the FCTA wants its health workers to remain up to date with global practices in emergency care. She added that the Administration is working to establish Code Blue Teams across FCT hospitals to ensure patients needing urgent attention receive prompt care.
According to the Mandate Secretary, the training would be extended to other hospitals in the FCT, with the necessary basic equipment and other requirements provided to support emergency response and patient care.
“Our goal is to record success stories from ‘no pulse to resuscitation consistently’. When people know they can receive timely and proper emergency care in our hospitals, it will also build their confidence and trust in government hospitals to respond swiftly and care for their loved ones.
“Participants will undergo a test at the end of the training to assess their knowledge and understanding of the lessons. Certificates will be presented to participants who successfully meet the required standard,” she said.
The Medical Director of Asokoro District Hospital, Dr. Oluseyi Ashaolu, described the training as necessary and timely for health workers to keep pace with global developments in basic emergency care.
He said the knowledge and skills acquired would help curb avoidable loss of life, particularly in situations where immediate and appropriate intervention could make the difference between life and death.
The training coordinator, Dr. Rosemary Nwokorie, a Consultant Anesthetist, said the exercise is being conducted in batches. The first batch is scheduled for August 21 and 22, 2026, while the second batch will take place on September 4 and 5, 2026.
She added that the training also includes a Stop the Bleed course, which focuses on helping health workers control severe bleeding in trauma patients before definitive medical care.
The FCTA also said the training is part of its efforts to improve emergency care and ensure that health workers are better prepared to respond when patients require immediate attention.