GreenLight Initiative, a not-for-profit organization, is to partner with health and road management organisations in training 360 truck and ambulance drivers on safety, across the six geopolitical zones in the country, Mr Simon Obi, the Executive Director of the Initiative, said.
Obi, who disclosed this at the training tagged: ‘Safety Training for Truck and Ambulance Drivers during COVID-19’ on Tuesday in Abuja, said the training was aimed at empowering the drivers with safety knowledge, as well as to develop and implement a COVID-19 safety response.
He identified the Ambulance Service Division of the Federal Ministry Health and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) as the partners that would join in implementing the training in the six geopolitical zones as part of activities for the commemoration of the 2020 World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.
The training, which will take place in Gombe, Kano, Anambra, Rivers and Lagos State, would cover modules on basic infection prevention and control; basic first aid, appropriate and rational use of personal protective equipment (PPE) as well as educate them on road safety measures, Obi said.
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“The training will also enable the drivers to protect themselves from contracting COVID-19, enforce and advocate for COVID-19 safety protocols as they deliver on their jobs; and ensure that COVID-19 hospitals’ supplies and logistics are delivered to hospitals in a safe and timely manner”, he added.
Obi noted that many of these drivers operated without the knowledge of road safety measures often resulting in injury, loss of lives, and damage to medical and logistics equipment needed for a functional health supply chain.
He added: “Truck and ambulance drivers, who are responsible for the transportation of medical supplies, patient, and logistics needed for COVID-19 management in Nigeria are not trained and equipped due to lack of resources to train, retrain, and to provide them with personal protective equipment.
“The negative effect of all these problems are spread across health, commodity, transportation and logistics challenges, unendurable workforce, lack of occupational safety practices and dangerous working environment.
“The training will involve the provision of safety training for 360 trucks and Ambulances drivers who are responsible for the movement of hospitals supplies and COVID-19 logistics across the country”.
The director observed that between May and June 2020, a video of an ambulance team, who tried to convey an alleged COVID-19 patient to a medical centre went viral because of how they poorly handled the patient, without consideration to their personal safety.
“Incidence like this occurs daily and reflects the reality on the ground in so many places within the country”, he said, while explaining that many people also commute without applying safety protocols, hence contributing to the further spread of the COVID-19 virus.
Obi noted that since the discovery of the index case of COVID-19 virus in the country on February 27, the number of confirmed cases has spiralled to a record figure of over 64,000 in November, while fatalities had also gone up to more than 1,154.
In his remarks, the FRSC Corps Marshal Boboye Oyeyemi commended GreenLight Initiative for the laudable training project, while urging the participants to utilise the opportunity and build on their capacities.
Oyeyemi, who was represented by Assistant Corps Marshall, Dr Amauche Nwaka, said that “road safety is everyone’s business, hence the need for collective collaboration to ensure safety for all.
He further added that because truck and ambulance drivers were critical in the fight against the COVID-19 virus, participants should cooperate with the trainers so as to acquire the necessary knowledge that would help them discharge their duties safely and effectively.
Also speaking, Prof. Sylvia Okonkwo, the Chairperson, Board of Trustees, GreenLight, described the programme as apt, adding that as front line staff, the drivers had significant roles to play in curtailing the spread of COVID-19 virus in the country.
She advised the participants to avail themselves of the opportunity offered by the training to improve their capacities.
Mr Mende Cosmos and Mr Olalonggul Dafur, ambulance and truck drivers participating in the training, commended the initiative and called for the sustenance of the training.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that GreenLight Initiative is a not-for-profit organisation that works to improve road transportation safety and sustainable development through training.
It also undertakes awareness creation, public enlightenment, and the implementation of evidence-backed interventions.
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