NaijAidUK, a UK-registered charity, has trained more than 170 healthcare workers and first responders in Lagos and Ogun states, intensifying efforts to slash preventable deaths from medical emergencies across Nigeria.
Since its inception in 2015, NaijAidUK has trained over 3,000 healthcare professionals and 5,000 non-medical citizens in first aid and emergency response skills. The initiative forms part of the charity’s broader effort to build capacity, promote community resilience, and create a culture of early intervention in medical emergencies.
At the recent Intermediate Life Support (ILS) Training for more than 70 healthcare practitioners from Lagos and Ogun States, and the First Aid Train-the-Trainer Course for over 100 university undergraduates and first responders from across Nigeria, participants converged with a shared mission; to learn, volunteer, and build a safer society.
Speaking at the training, Dr Olanrewaju Nehan-Babalola, CEO and founding trustee of NaijAidUK and HealthAid Charity, highlighted the long-term vision behind the initiative, stating, “One of our most impactful programs is the Train-the-Trainer model, where students and community members receive first aid training and return to teach others. It creates a multiplier effect, ensuring sustainability so that even when we’re not there, the knowledge continues to spread’’.
Read also: A syringe for a life: How poor health facilities cost lives
Prof Akin Abayomi, Lagos state commissioner for Health, who was represented by Dr. Tolu Ajomale, head of special projects, Lagos State Ministry of Health, commended NaijAidUK’s efforts to strengthen emergency response systems, stating, “Emergencies can happen anywhere. Initiatives like NaijAidUK are vital because they empower ordinary citizens to act quickly when lives are at stake. In most emergencies, the first responder isn’t a doctor but a nearby person with basic life-saving skills.”
Similarly, Dr. Hassan Adelakun, director, Ogun State Ambulance and Emergency Services, representing Hon. Tomi Coker, commissioner for Health, Ogun State, urged greater preparedness and compassion in emergencies.“We cannot wait for a perfect system; we must act decisively and build communities ready to respond. NaijAidUK’s training programs embody this spirit and ensure that life-saving knowledge reaches every layer of society,” he said.
The event featured an exceptional lineup of facilitators, including Dr. John Babalola, chairman of NaijAidUK & HealthAidNG Charity, who also served as a clinical facilitator. He led healthcare practitioners through practical sessions on the UK Resuscitation Council and American Heart Association algorithms, using real-life case studies to explain patient deterioration and cardiac arrest. Dr. Caroline Abisogun and Dr. Folake-Bewaji Dawodu, both distinguished UK-based clinicians, also played key roles in delivering impactful training sessions.
The programme was graced by members of the NaijAidUK Board of Trustees, representatives of partner ministries, and sponsors who continue to drive the organisation’s humanitarian vision. Their participation underscored a growing network of Nigerians, at home and abroad, committed to making first aid and emergency preparedness a national culture.
NaijAidUK was founded in 2015 after Dr. Nehan-Babalola witnessed firsthand the challenges of inadequate medical equipment while caring for her father at the General Hospital, Gbagada, Lagos.
“I saw how dedicated Nigerian doctors and nurses were, but their impact was limited by a lack of equipment. That experience motivated me to act,” she said.
Drawing on her UK medical and training background, she began sourcing functional medical equipment from UK hospitals for donation to Nigerian facilities. Since then, NaijAidUK has donated over 200 height-adjustable hospital beds and 200 wheelchairs to hospitals nationwide, including the Burns Unit at Igbobi and facilities in Ondo State.
The charity also organizes the Leadership Conference for Nurses Across Africa, attracting participants from Ghana, Rwanda, and other countries, while continuing to empower Nigerians through grassroots first aid programs.
Despite its growing impact, NaijAidUK continues to face funding challenges. “Most of our funding comes from what I call ‘the Bank of the Babalolas. Our annual activities cost around N30 million, yet every program remains completely free,” Dr. Nehan-Babalola joked.
To sustain its mission, NaijAidUK organises a fundraising event in the UK called the ‘250,000 Steps Challenge’ in the month of July, where participants raise money through attaining 250,000 steps counts. “This year, we raised over £5,000, but our yearly activities cost around N30 million, excluding flights and accommodation. When those are included, total costs can exceed N100 million annually, yet all our programs remain completely free,” she revealed.
NaijAidUK is also in discussion with the Lagos State Ministry of Health to pilot an Early Warning Sign System (EWSS), a low-cost, data-driven tool adapted from the UK health system to detect early signs of patient deterioration. Operating under a UK charity charter, NaijAidUK continues to serve as a bridge connecting compassion, innovation, and sustainable healthcare between continents.
