Fifty boda boda riders from Kangundo who underwent training in First Aid received their first aid certificates that will help them to respond to emergency such as accidents.
Dr Ancent Kituku former Machakos County health CECM, who is now vying for Kangundo parliamentary seat, speaking to journalists in Kangundo town while issuing the certificate, said the training will help the boda boda riders get knowledge on how to handle accident survivors to avoid causing more injuries if they are the first ones to arrive at accident scenes.
“This training will equip boda boda riders with knowledge on how to deal with accident survivors. It will also prevent them from injuries at the scene since the boda boda riders most of the time are the first ones to arrive at accident scenes,” Kituku said.
Kituku pointed out that there is a plan to make sure every boda boda stage is equipped with First Aid kits and training of more boda boda operators to help in emergency situations
“We are planning to ensure that there are First Aid kits in every boda boda stage and also train more boda boda riders to help in solving emergency medical services,” said Kituku.
Dr Kituku added that there are places where motorcycles can easily access and penetrate a scene, while it becomes hard for an ambulance and so the training of more boda boda operators’ first aid skills will be of value in places where ambulances cannot access.
“We have some places which ambulances can hardly be able to access but the motorcycles can operate and so by training the boda boda operators, it will give them an opportunity to be able to offer first aid services in such places,” added Kituku.
Dr Kituku called upon all the boda boda operators to ensure that they have all the necessary documentation and observe road safety.
Last year in November, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) Director, Mr Charles Okeno, while launching NTSA Road safety curriculum in Lanet, said that Boda boda riders across the country should undergo refresher courses in a bid to reduce road carnage involving operators and their passengers.
He said besides training boda boda riders on road safety, the riders will also be equipped with skills in first aid and public relations so that they can handle customers in a professional manner.
The NTSA Director added that the training had been designed to ensure that drivers and riders observe road safety rules as a way of bringing down fatalities and injuries witnessed on Kenyan roads.
By Anne Kangero and Dorcas Mwikali
