Momentum proposes National First Aid Campaign to establish life-saving skills across Malta and Gozo
Momentum is proposing a comprehensive National First Aid Campaign, calling for the establishment of a nationwide baseline of life-saving capabilities. The party is urging health and education authorities to implement a structured framework ensuring that citizens are fully equipped to respond to medical emergencies.
Momentum is proposing to make first aid training compulsory for several segments of the population, focusing on building community resilience and improving survival rates for time-critical emergencies.
This is achieved by first embedding basic first aid training into the secondary school curriculum. A basic first aid syllabus is currently covered by some students who have taken up PE option, and would now be taught to all secondary students.
Furthermore, Momentum asks whether linking first aid certification to the acquisition of the driving licence could create a network of safety on our roads. Would such an initiative give you the peace of mind that if your family ever needs urgent medical help, the drivers around them will be able to provide immediate, life-saving assistance at the scene of an accident?
With standard courses costing between forty and eighty-five euros per person, the cost barriers can be minimised through government and EU-funded programmes, bulk bookings for educational institutions, and tax credits for compliant employers.
The national campaign would expand beyond physical trauma to integrate mental first aid course content into the standard training modules.
Momentum General Secretary Mark Camilleri Gambin stated: “It was recently proven that nationwide education campaigns are entirely achievable with the rollout of the basic AI training linked to the free AI subscription. This rollout proved that if we set our minds to a goal, we have the administrative capacity to deliver training to many citizens. Now, we need to apply bigger determination to something even more critical. While digital literacy is valuable, first aid training is far more important because it directly saves lives. The minutes before professional medical help arrives are absolutely vital.”
Beyond the primary goal of saving lives, individuals trained in first aid provide significant broader benefits to the community as trained citizens gain the psychological confidence needed to handle sudden domestic or public emergencies calmly. Early, effective intervention also reduces the severity of injuries before professional medical care arrives, ultimately lowering long-term national healthcare expenditure.
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