NaijAidUK, a UK-registered charity operating in Nigeria through HealthAid Charity, has trained healthcare professionals, students and members of the public in first aid, emergency response and mental health awareness as part of activities marking its 10th anniversary.

The four-day programme, held in Lagos from October 27 to 30, 2026, was designed to equip participants with practical skills to recognise emergencies, provide immediate assistance and support people experiencing mental health challenges before professional help arrives.

The initiative forms part of the organisation’s efforts to address gaps in Nigeria’s emergency preparedness by extending life-saving knowledge beyond hospitals and healthcare facilities to communities.

Speaking on the programme, the Chief Executive Officer and Founding Trustee of NaijAidUK, Dr Lanre Nehan-Babalola, said the organisation was adopting a train-the-trainer approach to expand access to emergency response skills.

She said the initiative was aimed at equipping participants to share the knowledge with others in their families, schools and communities.

“The essence of our Train-the-Trainer programme is to empower people with the skills to save lives and, more importantly, equip them to pass that knowledge on to others. We believe in training one and saving many,” she said.

Nehan-Babalola said emergency response should become a shared responsibility, adding that the programme also emphasised the need to recognise mental health challenges and seek appropriate professional support.

The training began with an Immediate Life Support course for clinicians, including doctors, nurses, midwives and community health workers.

It was followed by a Mental Health Awareness Day for students and members of the public, while the programme ended with two days of general first emergency response training.

The Director of Nursing, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Omowunmi Folashade Ekong, commended the organisation for the mental health training, describing it as a timely intervention to improve awareness and community support.

She said the training equipped participants to recognise stressors and early signs of mental health challenges, provide appropriate support and refer affected individuals for professional care.

Also, the Director of Ogun State Ambulance and Emergency Services, Dr Festus Adetonwa, who represented the state Commissioner for Health, said the initiative addressed two important areas requiring greater attention in the health sector: mental health and first aid.

He noted that the first few minutes after an accident, collapse or other medical emergency could influence the outcome, making it important for members of the public to acquire basic life-saving skills while awaiting ambulance services.

Adetonwa also called for efforts to address mental health stigma and encourage people to seek appropriate support.

NaijAidUK, established in 2015, said it had trained more than 3,000 healthcare professionals and 5,000 non-medical citizens in first aid and emergency response over the past decade.

Its interventions have also included donations of medical equipment, professional development for healthcare workers and community-based health initiatives.

The organisation said its clinical and emergency response courses included UK-certified programmes delivered by qualified clinical experts based in and trained in the United Kingdom, with alignment to World Health Organisation guidance and recognised best practices.

It has also extended its interventions to underserved communities through Project ACT, which adapts first aid education to improve access for people with hearing and speech impairments.

As part of its anniversary activities, the charity called for stronger collaboration with government institutions, healthcare organisations, schools, businesses and community stakeholders to expand access to first aid and mental health education across Nigeria.