Poor handling of accident victims lead to death – NEMA

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has shed light on why accident victims die before they have a chance of being taken to the hospital. It said people cluster around accident scenes taking pictures for their social media page rather than offer help to victims. Nigeria’s next president should be a woman Service chiefs’ appointment: […]

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has shed light on why accident victims die before they have a chance of being taken to the hospital.

It said people cluster around accident scenes taking pictures for their social media page rather than offer help to victims.

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NEMA made this disclosure at a three-day training for over 500 rescuers on how best to manage accident associated injuries.

Zonal Coordinator of NEMA in the South-West Zone, Ibrahim Farinloye, said road traffic accidents and associated injuries were a major public health problem in Nigeria.

Farinloye said timely administration of emergency pre-hospital care and subsequent transfer of the accident victims to any health facility would  help to reduce death rate.

He said NEMA believed  that accident victims stand a greater chance of survival if attended to and care for immediately, hence the training.

“The life of an accident victim can be saved by administering timely medical aid. The first four minutes after the trauma is called the golden hour. Instant and proper first aid given to any accident victims, be it domestic or industrial, increase the chances of survival,” he said.