The House of Representatives on Tuesday called on the Federal Government to train and deploy First Responders to all major highways in Nigeria to help stabilise victims of road accidents before handing them over to the nearest healthcare institutions for further attention.
The resolution was passed following the adoption of a motion sponsored by Hon. Olamijuwonlo Alao Akala.
In his lead debate, Hon. Alao-Akala observed that a first responder is a person with specialized training, who is among the first to arrive and provide assistance, pre-hospital care, or incident resolution at the scene of an emergency to victims of an accident until they are handed over or delivered to a hospital.
“The House also notes that first responders typically include Law Enforcement Officers (commonly known as Federal Road Safety, Nigeria Police Force), Paramedics, Firefighters, and Emergency Medical Technicians.
“The House is aware that in some jurisdictions, such as the United States of America, emergency department personnel, such as Doctors and Nurses, are also required to respond to disasters and critical situations, designating them first responders.
“The House recalls that one of the primary responsibilities of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) is to ensure that Nigerian highways are safe for motorists and other road users.
“The House also recalls that Section 8(c) of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) Act gives FERMA the responsibility of planning and managing the development and implementation of road safety standards.
“The House is concerned that innocent lives and dreams have been cut short on Nigeria highways, mostly as a result of the absence of or slow medical response to road accident victims,” Hon. Alao-Akala noted.
In the bid to ensure the effective implementation of the scheme, the House urged the Federal Government to provide a toll-free line dedicated to the use of highways.
The lawmakers also tasked the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Health and other relevant Ministries to provide fully equipped medical ambulances at every 15km point on every major highway, and every 35km point on all minor highways in the country.
While ruling, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas mandated the joint Committees on FRSC, Disaster Preparedness, as well as Healthcare Services when constituted to ensure compliance.
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