From Taiye Joseph, Ilorin
Project ACT, an inclusive first aid initiative of NaijAidUK and Health Aid Charity, has organised a comprehensive first aid training programme for non-hearing and non-speaking persons in Ilorin, Kwara State, reaffirming the organisations’ commitment to making life-saving skills accessible to everyone, regardless of disability.
The project was delivered by a five-member Project ACT team, all of whom attended the NaijAidUK intensive three-day First Aid Train-the-Trainer Course in October 2024. Following the training, the team volunteered with NaijAidUK on several first aid and community outreach programmes, experiences that inspired them to establish Project ACT to extend inclusive first aid education to underserved communities.
The training brought together members of the hearing and speech impairment community for practical sessions on emergency response, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), choking management, wound care, burns, bleeding control, patient assessment and the management of common medical emergencies, including asthma, diabetes and severe allergic reactions.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Project Lead, Patricia Adetuase, said the programme was designed to ensure that persons with hearing and speech impairments are not excluded from first aid education.
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According to her, the initiative was inspired by the NaijAidUK Train-the-Trainer programme held in October 2024, where participants were challenged to develop community projects that would transfer first aid knowledge to underserved groups.
She noted that although first aid education continues to expand across Nigeria, many persons with hearing and speech impairments remain excluded because training programmes are often not adapted to their communication needs.
“This programme is not just another first aid training. It represents inclusivity and empowerment built on the belief that everyone deserves equal access to life-saving knowledge, regardless of their mode of communication,” Adetuase said.
She explained that Project ACT was created to bridge the gap between hearing and non-hearing communities through accessible first aid education.
Adetuase commended NaijAidUK and Health Aid Charity for sponsoring the programme, describing both organisations as longstanding partners in healthcare development and capacity building.
“Year after year, they invest their time, resources and expertise to improve lives and empower others. Today is another example of that commitment,” she said.
She encouraged participants to remain attentive throughout the training and share the knowledge gained within their communities, adding that emergencies can happen at any time.
The programme also relied on sign language interpreters to ensure effective communication throughout the sessions, a contribution Adetuase described as invaluable.
Participants received practical instruction on emergency scene assessment using the D-R-A-B-C approach, CPR, recovery position, jaw thrust technique, wound care, burns management, bleeding control and infection prevention.
To improve emergency communication, facilitators introduced participants to alternative alert methods such as whistles, hand signals, flashlights, communication cards and mobile phone alerts.
Facilitators Marvelous Aliyu, Aribisin Tolulope and Falade Jesutoni, also trained participants on recognising and managing choking, diabetic emergencies, asthma attacks and severe allergic reactions, while demonstrating appropriate first aid techniques and emphasising the importance of early recognition, proper assessment and prompt referral where necessary.
Participants were also advised against unsafe practices such as applying toothpaste, butter, oil or methylated spirit to burns and were taught correct methods of controlling bleeding and caring for wounds.
Speaking after the training, sign language interpreter from the Centre for Students with Special Needs, University of Ilorin, Mr Dauda Abiodun, described the programme as a rewarding experience.
“This practical training has deepened my understanding of first aid and will enable me to pass these life-saving skills on to many others,” he said.
Another interpreter, Mrs Bello Aderonke Adebisi, said the programme had equipped her with practical knowledge that would benefit members of the deaf community.
The organisers said the initiative reflects the commitment of NaijAidUK and Health Aid Charity to ensuring that persons living with hearing and speech impairments are not left behind in emergency preparedness. They expressed confidence that expanding access to first aid education for vulnerable groups would strengthen community resilience, promote inclusion and improve survival outcomes before professional medical help arrives.
