The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has conducted Basic Life Support (BLS) , training for health workers from seven FCT hospitals in line with the National Council on Health’s approval for the implementation of the National BLS Training Programme across the country.

The training is aimed at improving the ability of health workers to respond quickly to emergencies and provide basic life-saving care while further medical intervention is in progress.

The training certified by the American Heart Association (AHA) which took place at Asokoro District Hospital, had health workers from Asokoro, Maitama, Wuse, Gwarinpa, Kuje, Kubwa and Nyanya hospitals as participants .

Speaking at the opening of the exercise, Mandate Secretary, Health Services and Environment Secretariat (HSES), Dr. Dolapo Fasawe observed that the training would improve emergency services across FCT hospitals and help reduce preventable loss of lives.

She noted that the Administration is working towards establishing Code Blue Teams across FCT hospitals to ensure that patients requiring urgent attention receive prompt care.

Fasawe stated that the FCTA wants its health workers to remain up to date with global practices in emergency care.

The Mandate Secretary pointed out that 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.

She said,“Our goal is to consistently record success stories from ‘no pulse to resuscitation’. When people know that 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 manage 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,”

Fasawe observed that the participants would share the knowledge gained with their colleagues and also members of the public, in support of the National Community CPR Initiative.

Also speaking, the Medical Director of Asokoro District Hospital, Dr. Oluseyi Ashaolu, stated that the training ould help health workers to keep pace with developments in basic emergency care globally.

He said the knowledge and skills acquired would help curb avoidable loss of lives, particularly in situations where immediate and appropriate intervention could make the difference between life and death.

A Consultant Anaesthetist and the training Coordinator, Dr. Rosemary Nwokorie, said that focus ncludes a Stop the Bleeding course, which focuses on helping health workers control severe bleeding in trauma patients prior to definitive medical care.

She the exercise is being conducted in batches adding that the second batch will take place on September 4 and 5, 2026.

The team of instructors is led by Dr. Onyedika Godfrey Okoye, a Trauma Surgeon at the Trauma Centre, National Hospital, Abuja.

The FCTA said the training is part of its efforts to improve emergency care and ensure that health workers are better prepared to