From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
The University of Medical Sciences (UNIMED), Ondo, has finalised arrangements to train some security agents in the country.
This, according to the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Adesegun Fatusi, is part of the university’s social responsibility. He stated that the training will be conducted strategically for selected security agents.
The security personnel scheduled to undergo the training include selected members of the Nigeria Police Force, Federal Road Safety Corps, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and Amotekun Corps.
Prof. Fatusi said the training is aimed at reducing the high rate of avoidable deaths on highways, often caused by inadequate emergency response.
He stressed that much needs to be done to save lives on the highways through advanced knowledge in emergency responses.
“Without doubt, our security forces are making efforts in saving lives that could have been lost due to their responses, and this must be commended. It is, however, disheartening that we still lose many more precious lives daily due to inadequate knowledge about what to do immediately,” he said.
He added that this development calls for “urgent and deliberate interventions to complement the efforts of the security forces.”
The Chief Consultant to the university on emergency responders’ training, Professor Olugbenga Akingbola, a professor in the Pediatrics Division of Pediatric Critical Care at Tulane School of Medicine and Children’s Hospital of New Orleans, USA, highlighted the benefits of the training and encouraged members of Nigeria’s various security forces to take advantage of the opportunity to improve their skills in emergency responses to accidents on highways.
“This is a commendable initiative by UNIMED. It shows a university that cares for its host community and the state, as emergency responders’ training is critical to saving lives,” he said.
“I encourage our security forces to see this as an opportunity to learn and relearn new skills and methods in this area,” he stressed.