By Deborah Coker
Sen. Ned Nwoko (APC-Delta) says his bill seeking to make first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) training mandatory across homes, schools, institutions and workplaces in Nigeria has scaled first reading.
Nwoko, representing Delta North Senatorial District, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Abuja on Tuesday.
According to him, the bill is entitled: ‘Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to Provide for Mandatory First Aid, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Trainin and the Adoption of Good Samaritan Laws, 2024.
Nwoko said that the proposed legislation seeks to embed emergency response training and legal protection for bystanders into the nation’s constitutional framework.
”The bill proposes an amendment to Section 17(3) of the Constitution to include provisions mandating life-saving training and the nationwide adoption of Good Samaritan Laws which protect individuals who assist victims in emergencies from legal liability,’’ he explained.
The lawmaker further stated that the legislation highlighted the growing number of deaths resulting from sudden cardiac arrest in homes, public places, workplaces and transportation hubs, often worsened by the absence of immediate intervention.
He also noted that bystanders were often reluctant in offering help due to lack of knowledge and fear of legal consequences.
The senator said that the introduction of structured training in CPR, AED and first aid, facilitated by certified Emergency First Response (EFR) instructors, would significantly improve survival rates from out-of-hospital cardiac arrests.
This, he said, would ensure early response before professional medical help could arrive.
Nwoko further said that bill also emphasised that with proper legal backing through “Good Samaritan” protections, citizens would be encouraged to act promptly in emergencies without fear of prosecution, thereby strengthening public health response capacity at the community level.
(NAN)