INTRODUCTION

Motorcycles are an enjoyable, economical, and practical method of transportation in Kano state. Sadly, motorcycle accidents result in thousands of injuries and deaths each year. Even the most experienced and careful rider is at the mercy of other motorists, and motorcycle accident victims often experience the most severe types of injuries as compared to other motor vehicle accidents.

According to statistics a motorcyclist is 16 times more likely to be killed in an accident than an occupant of an automobile. Treating a motor cycle accident injury at the scene can be crucial. Proper first aid can save a life and prevent further injury. As a serving youth corps member in Kano state I found it crucial to give this training and chose to do it as a NYSC/CDS project in collaboration with the Nigerian Red Cross Society.

Community Development Service (CDS) is a year-round program of the Natinal Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in which corps members are organized to work with local communities to promote and execute development projects in their host communities. The CDS policy of the NYSC has been reviewed and tailored towards achieving the objectives of the United Nations fostered Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy (NEEDS). One of the aims of the CDS is; providing complementary service in our National development activities, by ensuring that our under-privileged population learns basic techniques of self-help through the appropriate technology concept being promoted by NYSC.

AIM

To reduce the number of preventable deaths from road traffic accidents on Nigeria's roads.

PURPOSE

To give road users the knowledge and skills to recognize and provide immediate post crash care at the scene of an accident.

TRAINING OBJECTIVES

• How to recognize and handle an emergency
• How to check the scene for safety and a victim for consciousness
• When and how to move a victim from crash site
• How to prioritize care for life threatening injuries
• How to recognize and care for different types of wounds including burns, scalds and bleeding
• How to control external bleeding
• How to recognize and care for muscle, bone and joint injuries including injuries to the head, neck and back.

EXPECTED OUTCOME

This training is expected to result into a train-the-trainers program, where trainees that benefited from this training return to their various units to share the knowledge and train others.

TOPICS COVERED

• Scope of first aid
• Recognition of shock and management of blood loss
• Bandage; type, uses and its application
• Unconsciousness and shock
• Non breathing casualty and recovery position
• Fracture and dislocation
• Burns and scalds

TEACHING METHOD

The lectures and practicals held simultaneously, this was given in the local langauge for easy understanding of the trainees. Afterwards an accident scene was simulated for the trainees to demonstrate what they have learnt, this was presided over by the facilitators.

CONCLUSION

At the end of the training the trainers expressed satisfaction with the level of response they got from the participants. The participants also expressed their profound appreciation and stated their next steps will be to share their new knowledge with their colleagues back in their various local government areas (LGAs). Participants that came from the same local government area were paired with each other to form a team so as to fast track their next steps, a head was assigned to each group to ensure proper implementation of these next steps. The Kano state branch of the Nigerian Red Cross Society has pledged to monitor the teams in the setting up of the train-the-trainers scheme and offer technical assistance to the various LGA teams through training and retraining sessions.