- Safiu Kehinde
The Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Dr Mariya Mahmoud, has on Wednesday, inaugurated Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Centres (CPR) in Nigeria’s capital city, Abuja.
The centres were inaugurated along with the Bring Back to Life (BBL) programme initiated by the Nigerian Cardiac Society (NCS).
Speaking at the event, Mahmoud explained that the effort was to tackle the surge in cardiac arrest among residents of the territory.
She added that the event was to also install Public Access Defibrillators (PAD) in all public places with large human traffic.
According to her, the programme is equally organised to train community members on the actions to take when someone has a sudden cardiac arrest.
The minister maintained that cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally, adding that the incidence in Nigeria was alarming.
She said that the FCT Administration recognises the urgency of having a CPR centre and remained committed to enhancing healthcare infrastructure and community capacity.
Mahmoud described CPR as a “lifesaving technique” that doubles or triples survival rates in cardiac arrest cases, adding that every minute counts in responding to cardiac emergencies.
“By empowering communities with CPR skills, we ensure prompt response and increase chances of survival,” she said.
While commending the Nigerian Cardiac Society for its dedication and for playing a leading role in empowering communities with CPR skills, the minister urged Nigerians and FCT residents to embrace healthy lifestyle.
“This programme is a testament to effective public-private partnerships in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
“Community leaders, healthcare professionals, and individuals must join this noble cause of promoting a culture of lifesaving interventions to reduce cardiovascular-related deaths.
“I call on all Nigerians and FCT residents in particular to practice healthy lifestyle measures, such as physical exercise, reduction in calorie intake, reduction in salt intake, cessation of cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption.
“These lifestyle measures are cost-effective ways of reducing cardiovascular diseases,” the minister said.
In an earlier remark, the Chairman of the Bring Back to Life programme, Dr Akinyemi Aje, said that the CPR centres were established in public places because 89 per cent of cardiac arrest cases occurred outside the hospital.
Aje also said enhancing community members’ skills in CPR was necessary as most of the interventions were done incorrectly by the first responders.
He further said that some people at the scene would rather record on their digital devices to post on their social media handles instead of assisting in salvaging the life of the victim.
“Some first responders, such as family members, friends and people at the scene may not even know what to do on such an occasion due to little or no knowledge of CPR.
“This is why the NCS came up with the BBL programme to take CPR training to the grassroots so that Nigerians will know what to do when confronted with cardiac arrest.
“The “slump and die” phenomenon has no respect for financial status, age, level of education or occupation.
“It can occur at any place – at home, workplace, marketplace, motor park, in the hospital, in the plane, in an executive meeting, in a hotel and the school among other places,” he said.
He, however, said that “slump and live is achievable if we all work together to change our orientation.
“Each of us, including children, must be ready to learn the steps on how to bring back life after slumping by doing CPR,” he said.