Corporate Ghana must embrace CPR training as lifeline for workplace emergencies

The sudden passing of respected Ghanaian actor Kwame Dzokoto has catalysed a critical conversation about whether our corporate sector and public institutions are adequately prepared to respond to life-threatening medical emergencies. Medical experts and workplace safety advocates are now calling for mandatory CPR and first-aid training programmes across Ghanaian businesses, arguing that such preparedness could bridge the gap between a medical crisis and professional help arriving.

In many workplace emergencies—cardiac arrest, choking, severe breathing difficulties—the first few minutes are decisive. When properly trained staff can intervene with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) before paramedics arrive, survival rates improve dramatically. Yet across Ghana's corporate landscape, from financial services to manufacturing, retail to media houses, structured emergency response training remains patchy or absent altogether.

The case for workplace CPR programmes

Medical professionals emphasise that CPR is not an exclusively clinical skill. With proper training lasting just a few hours, office managers, security personnel, and frontline staff can effectively perform chest compressions and rescue breathing—interventions that maintain blood flow to vital organs during cardiac events. Organisations that have implemented such programmes report not only improved emergency response capability but also enhanced staff morale and safety culture.

The cost of introducing CPR training is modest compared to the potential human cost of inaction. A single training workshop for 20–30 staff members can be completed within a workday, with certification lasting two years. Many international organisations operating in Ghana already mandate such training; the practice remains sporadic in local institutions.

Why it matters for Ghana

Ghana's healthcare infrastructure, whilst improving, faces capacity constraints in many regions. Ambulance response times in Accra and other major cities can stretch from 15 to 30 minutes or more, depending on traffic and location. In smaller towns and rural areas, delays are often far longer. This reality underscores why immediate, on-site intervention by trained bystanders becomes crucial—it can quite literally mean the difference between life and death.

The tragic loss of public figures like Kwame Dzokoto serves as a sobering reminder that health emergencies do not discriminate by age, status or profession. They occur in boardrooms, newsrooms, factory floors and retail spaces. When they do, the presence of staff equipped with CPR knowledge can provide those critical early minutes of intervention that improve survival odds significantly.

Beyond individual lives, there is an institutional argument. Organisations that invest in emergency preparedness—including CPR training, automated external defibrillators (AEDs) positioned strategically, and clear emergency protocols—demonstrate duty of care to their staff and stakeholders. This creates a safer workplace culture and can reduce liability exposure.

Moving forward

Professional bodies, including Ghana's health regulatory agencies and corporate governance organisations, should consider developing guidelines or incentives for workplace CPR certification. Large employers could pilot programmes, establishing them as best practice. Schools and universities should integrate CPR basics into curricula, ensuring younger generations grow up equipped with these life-saving skills.

Dzokoto's passing has opened a window for meaningful change. The question now is whether Ghana's corporate sector and institutions will use this moment to act—or whether another preventable tragedy will be needed to spur action.