Project ACT, an inclusive first aid initiative by NaijAidUK and Health Aid Charity, has trained members of the deaf community in Kwara State on life-saving first aid skills.

Speaking at the training in Ilorin, Project Lead Patricia Adetuase said the initiative was designed to ensure that persons with hearing and speech impairments are not excluded from first aid education due to communication barriers.

“This programme represents inclusivity and empowerment, built on the belief that everyone deserves equal access to life-saving knowledge, regardless of their mode of communication,” she said.

Participants received practical training on emergency response, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), choking management, wound care, burns, bleeding control, patient assessment, and the management of asthma, diabetes and severe allergic reactions.

Facilitators also introduced alternative emergency communication methods, including whistles, hand signals, flashlights, communication cards and mobile phone alerts, to improve emergency response within the deaf community.

Speaking after the training, sign language interpreter Dauda Abiodun described the programme as rewarding, saying it had equipped him with life-saving knowledge he would share with others. Another participant, Mrs Bello Aderonke Adebisi, said the training would greatly benefit members of the deaf community.