Cardiology experts have donated a public access defibrillator to the University of Abuja, while calling for nationwide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training to reduce deaths from sudden cardiac emergencies.
The donation was made during the World Restart a Heart Day celebration organised by the University of Abuja Medical Centre in collaboration with the Society for Public Health and Social Development (SPHSD) on Saturday in Abuja.
The immediate past President of the Nigerian Cardiac Society (NCS), Prof. Augustine Odili, said increasing reports of people collapsing and dying suddenly had prompted the society to introduce its “Bring Back to Life” programme.
Odili explained that the initiative was designed to equip Nigerians with the knowledge and skills to resuscitate people who suffer sudden cardiac arrest before professional medical assistance arrives.
He said the society had developed a training curriculum and accredited hospitals, centres and non-governmental organisations to provide basic life support training across the country, adding that SPHSD was among the accredited centres.
According to him, CPR training should be complemented by public access defibrillators, particularly in crowded places, to improve the chances of survival during cardiac emergencies.
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He formally handed over the donated defibrillator to the university and disclosed that SPHSD would coordinate training on its use.
The Executive Director of SPHSD, Dr Doris Maduka, stressed the importance of basic life support skills in preventing avoidable deaths associated with heart-related emergencies.
Maduka said the organisation had returned to fulfil its commitment to training members of the university community in emergency response techniques.
She emphasised that prompt CPR could help sustain a victim until professional medical assistance arrives, while announcing plans to extend the campaign to churches, mosques and other institutions across the country.
Also speaking, Mr Chukwuemeka Eze, a representative of Quest Villa Solutions Limited, which donated the defibrillator, said the gesture reflected the company’s commitment to supporting medical research and reducing deaths linked to heart-related conditions.
Eze expressed the company’s willingness to partner with the university and other institutions in medical research and data generation to strengthen the healthcare system and improve health outcomes in Nigeria.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Prof. Hakeem Fawehinmi, described the initiative as a significant contribution to efforts to reduce deaths from sudden cardiac emergencies.
Fawehinmi commended the Nigerian Cardiac Society, SPHSD, and Quest Villa Solutions Limited for supporting life-saving training and providing equipment that could help improve emergency response and save lives.
