Lagos, Jan. 15, 2025 (NAN) Dr Aghedo-Akran Akhere, a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Strategist, says deploying community health workers in schools is essential to advancing inclusive education and strengthening child wellbeing across Nigeria.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday, she explains that on-site health workers provide first aid, emergency response, health screenings, and early interventions critical to safeguarding children in public and private schools.
Akhere notes that medical emergencies such as collapses, asthma attacks, seizures, or injuries require immediate professional response to prevent delays that worsen children’s health outcomes.
According to the inclusive educationist, integrating healthcare services into schools strengthens inclusive practices, ensuring all children especially those with diverse learning needs receive timely support and uninterrupted, quality education.
“Trained health workers in schools significantly shorten response times during emergencies, save lives, reduce avoidable health crises among learners, and ensure timely first aid, early intervention, and effective safeguarding of children’s wellbeing,” she says.
She adds that early detection of illnesses, disabilities, and mental health challenges through routine screenings reduces absenteeism and supports consistent learning.
“This supports and saves lives as well as ensures that children learn in safe environments,” Akhere says, stressing the importance of professional health presence within daily school activities.
Akhere describes schools as living communities where children spend most of their day, making integrated healthcare a realistic and child-centred safeguarding responsibility.
Akhere explains that embedded health workers strengthen child protection by identifying vulnerabilities early and coordinating referrals for physical and emotional support.
According to her, beyond emergencies, school health workers support immunisation checks, nutrition guidance, hygiene education, mental health referrals, and family engagement.
Akhere links accessible healthcare in schools to reduced absenteeism and improved academic performance, noting that prompt care prevents prolonged illness-related learning disruptions.
She, therefore, appeals to the authorities to ensure that health workers are deployed in schools as part of the next phase of reform, to promote equity, safety, and sustainability and guarantee that no child is left behind. (NAN)
