The Bayelsa State Government has highlighted the importance of training students and teachers in emergency response, saying the initiative could help save lives and reduce the time it takes for victims to receive assistance.
The state Commissioner for Health, Prof. Seiyefa Brisibe, made the remarks during a three-day emergency response training programme organised in Yenagoa by FIRST Exploration & Petroleum Development Company Limited, the NNPC Limited/FIRST E&P Joint Venture and the Health Emergency Initiative.
More than 100 secondary school students and 50 teachers participated in the programme, receiving training in first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency response.
Brisibe said equipping young people and teachers with basic emergency skills would help communities respond more effectively before professional medical assistance arrives.
Bayelsa ranked sixth among states in health spending in the first quarter of 2026 and ranked first in per-capita health spending, with about N9 billion committed to the sector.
The state government plans to expand emergency response training to public institutions and communities.
The Health Emergency Initiative founder, Paschal Achunine, said the programme aims to change the behaviour of bystanders during emergencies from simply recording incidents to taking proactive steps to assist victims.
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