Is palm oil in your emergency kit?

If you are in Nigeria, you would find palm oil in almost every home. It is used in preparing various meals from soups to porridge. There is also another popular use of palm oil: many use it as an antidote for poisoning.

But should palm oil be used as a poison antidote?

Or the bigger question: what tools should a household or organization have to promptly manage emergencies? The short answer is to have a first aid kit.

A first aid kit is a collection of supplies, medication, and equipment kept in a box or pack and used to administer first aid when an emergency occurs. First aid kits are necessary to manage ailments and injuries that happen at home, school, or even at work. From minor ailments, to more serious injuries a first aid kit can help reduce the risk of infection and the severity of the injury.

The Red Cross recommends that a first aid kit should contain:

1. Emergency telephone numbers for ERA and your personal doctor
2. Home and office phone numbers for family members, friends, or neighbours who can help
3. Sterile gauze pads (dressings) in small and large squares to place over wounds
4. Adhesive tape
5. Roller and triangular bandages to hold dressings in place or to make an arm sling
6. Adhesive bandages in assorted sizes
7. Scissors
8. Tweezers
9. Safety pins
10. Instant ice packs
11. Disposable non-latex gloves, such as surgical or examination gloves
12. Flashlight, with extra batteries in a separate bag
13. Antiseptic wipes or soap
14. Pencil and pad
15. Emergency blanket
16. Eye patches
17. Thermometer

Palm oil is noticeably absent from the list. Home remedies for common emergency incidents can be useful, but some practices can also be dangerous. Invest in a first aid kit for your family, and take the time to learn how to use its contents.

To purchase a first aid kit for your home, school or workplace, and book first aid training, please call or send a WhatsApp message to 07040308238.

Remember:

When there is an emergency, call ERA on 080002255372 and our medical dispatcher will support you as you administer first aid.

Prompt response to emergencies saves lives.