Antony Chawagarira
GOVERNMENT has called for the widespread training of first aiders in communities and institutions as Zimbabwe moves to strengthen its preparedness for disasters and other emergencies.
Civil Protection Unit (CPU) Chief Director Nathan Nkomo said first-aid training should be extended to schools, workplaces, mines, farms, transport hubs, and communities to ensure that lives can be saved before professional medical assistance arrives.
He made the call during World First Aid Day commemorations hosted by the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society (ZRCS) in Bulawayo on Saturday.
This year’s commemorations were held under the theme “First Aid in Migration Contexts,” focusing on the needs of people who are displaced, travelling, or returning home.
Nkomo said first aid was particularly important in a country exposed to multiple hazards, including floods, droughts, cyclones, veld fires, disease outbreaks, and road traffic accidents.
“World First Aid Day highlights the vital role of first aid in bridging the gap between emergencies and professional medical care, especially during the critical first minutes when timely action can save lives,” he said.
Nkomo said migrants can face injuries, illness, trauma, exhaustion, and psychosocial distress while struggling to access essential services.
He cited the recent Government-led repatriation of more than 150,000 Zimbabweans from South Africa as an example of the humanitarian challenges associated with migration.
At the Beitbridge Reception Centre, ZRCS supported the repatriation exercise by providing bus fares, telephone services, phone-charging facilities, and internet connectivity.
Nkomo said such assistance helped returnees reconnect with their families, access information, and make arrangements for onward travel.
He said trained first aiders were particularly important at border posts, reception centres, transport hubs, and communities receiving migrants.
“With Zimbabwe facing multiple and increasingly interconnected hazards, disaster preparedness must extend beyond government and emergency services,” he said. Nkomo added that a coordinated approach involving government departments, local authorities, security services, humanitarian organisations, the private sector, and communities is necessary to strengthen national disaster preparedness.
ZRCS is recognised under the Civil Protection Act as an auxiliary to public authorities and sits on the National Civil Protection Committee.
Government is also pursuing a new Disaster Risk Management Bill aimed at strengthening coordination in disaster preparedness and response.
Speaking to New Ziana, Nkomo urged the Red Cross to continue expanding first-aid training and to incorporate practical exercises into preparedness programmes.
He said the first-aid demonstrations and competitions held during the commemorations showed the importance of regular training and practice.
“Emergencies demand more than good intentions. They require people who are trained, confident, and able to assess a situation, make the right decisions, and provide the correct assistance at the right time,” he said.
ZRCS Secretary-General Elias Hwenga said the organisation remains committed to equipping more people with life-saving skills.
He said everyone, regardless of background, should have access to first-aid knowledge and training.
A representative of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said first aid is not the preserve of medical professionals, adding that trained teachers, students, drivers, community volunteers, and migrants can all save lives.
The commemorations began with a march through Bulawayo’s central business district before participants proceeded to the ZRCS facility at Makhosi along Lady Stanley Avenue.
First-aid competitions involving teams from industry, the private sector, government, and Red Cross units were also held.
World First Aid Day is observed annually on the second Saturday of September to promote awareness of first aid and its role in saving lives.
