Sodiq Ojuroungbe
Following the recent stampede at a Christmas party in Ibadan, Oyo State, which led to the death of no fewer than 35 children, paediatricians have stressed the urgent need to implement preventive measures, provide training on child safety, and shape policies that prioritise the protection of children.
With the festive season still underway and more funfairs expected to take place, the child health experts called on all stakeholders, including government and non-governmental organisations, to prioritise child safety.
Recalled that the Ibadan stampede occurred when participants reportedly rushed to gain access to the venue of the event reportedly organised by the ex-queen of the Ooni of Ife, Prophetess Naomi Silekunola, and an Ibadan-based broadcaster, Oriyomi Hamzat.
Apart from the 35 children who lost their lives in the stampede, six others injured were rushed to hospitals for treatment.
The event was said to have been initially planned for 5,000 children, but over 7,500 children showed up, worsening the tense situation.
Reacting to the tragedy, the president of the Paediatric Association of Nigeria, Prof Ekanem Ekure and secretary, Dr. Chika Duru, in a statement made available to our correspondent on Saturday, expressed shock and sadness over the incident.
Ekure noted that it was the joint responsibility of policymakers and event organisers to make funfair venues safe for children and to be prepared for emergencies.
While commending President Bola Tinubu for ordering an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragic event, the PAN president said there was a need to prioritise the Child Rights Act, which mandates that children must be protected against harm.
According to her children’s funfairs are common global occurrences, especially during festivities.
Ekure said, “Children look forward to the wonderful experiences such gatherings offer and tend to exploit such opportunities to have fun to the maximum.
“In the process of their hyper-excitement, children tend to rush, they may wander if unsupervised, they are likely to under-assess the magnitude of risks, judge
poorly and inadvertently take inappropriate decisions. These require that the environment must be specifically made child-friendly with adequate attention to safety and security.
“The Child Rights Act prescribes that children must be protected against harm. Therefore, it is the joint responsibility of policymakers and event organizers to make the venue of funfairs safe for children and ready for emergencies.”
The don pointed out that attention must be paid to the capacity of the venue of funfair and the crowd expected, stressing that it is important to plan crowd management ahead of all activities.
To prevent similar tragedies in the future, PAN recommended that event organisers conduct detailed risk assessments, develop child-specific emergency response plans, and ensure that venues are child-friendly and equipped with child-sized medical supplies.
Ekure stressed the importance of clear communication systems, specialised rescue teams, and crowd management planning.
She stated that PAN was committed to collaborating with all relevant stakeholders, including event organizers, caregivers, and policymakers, to develop policies that prioritise the protection of children.
Continuing, she said, “Preparedness is key to ensuring the safety of children at public events. Detailed and appropriate risk assessment must be done as part of the preparations.
“Event organisers should develop child-specific emergency response plans that include steps for evacuation, medical care, and reunification when children wander. The venues should be made child-friendly and equipped with child-sized medical supplies and have trained personnel on hand to address emergencies involving children.”
“The Ibadan tragedy has reminded us of the risks that children face in crowded gatherings and the importance of taking proactive steps to protect them.
“Looking forward, PAN is hopeful that through collaborative efforts with the government, event organizers, parents, and other stakeholders, we can ensure that such a tragedy never happens again. By prioritising child safety, the lives of children in all public gatherings can be protected and future stampedes can be prevented,” she added.
Copyright PUNCH
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.
Contact: health_wise@punchng.com
The post Yuletide: Paediatricians urge action to safeguard children in large gatherings appeared first on Healthwise.