By CHIOMA OBINNA

As Nigeria and other countries of the world  battle the growing incidences of disasters, health professionals under the auspices of the West African College of Nursing, WACN, have called for a Federal Emergency Plan that will be adopted at State and Local Government levels  with a view to tackling the re-ccurring gap  between events and efforts to save lives.

Presenting this position during a 2-week certificate course on Disaster Nursing entitled: “Emergency Preparedness for Nurses” in Lagos, Director, Nursing Services, Lagos State, Ministry of Health, Lagos, Mrs. Jokotade Adebusola Agunbiade, said a Federal emergency plan would specify steps to be taken in certain identified emergencies.

“There is need to organise morbid meeting of aftermath of events, embrace universal safety precautions that guarantee proper physical, protection of members of the rescue team as well their equipment in such a way as to prevent access by unauthorised individuals as well as the need for internet resources and media to provide facts sheet on steps that could assist victims,” Agunbiade observed

She maintained that the health sector has a principal role to play in emergency preparedness without notification. “Although a lot has been done regarding emergency preparedness and disaster management, yet, when there are emergencies and disasters, there will always be a gap between the events and the actual realisation of efforts towards saving lives.

The Course Coordinator, and Principal, School of Post Basic Studies,   National Orthopedic Hospital lgbobi, Lagos,  explained that two week course was organized  to equip Nurses with adequate knowledge, skill and attitude necessary in the management of victims of disasters.

Coordinator WACN, Ogun State, Mrs. Ashabi Olowu said the essence of the training was to ensure all Nigerian nurses are fully prepared to receive emergencies as it is a sudden occurrence.