ST JOHN AMBULANCE ROLLS OUT 2026 SCHOOL FIRST AID PROGRAM

The Nationa St Johns Ambulance First Aid in Schools Program has officially begun its 2026 rollout, with training already underway across schools in Papua New Guinea.

The initiative is led by National St John Ambulance Papua New Guinea in partnership with the Sir Brian Bell Foundation, aims to equip students with life-saving first aid skills and disease prevention knowledge.

The program began this year at Iarowari Agro Technical School in Sogeri, where 175 students received hands-on training. Since then, sessions have also been conducted at Kopkop College, Tengei, St Joseph International School, POMIS, Malolo International, and Marianville Secondary in the National Capital District bringing the total number of students trained so far to 700.

Since its launch in 2018, the program has reached more than 13,000 students across seven provinces.

NStJA says this year, it is set to expand further into 15 provinces nationwide.

Manager for Community Programs, Zoe Saulep, says the response from schools and provincial education authorities has been overwhelmingly positive, with strong support shown during engagement visits.

The program will be delivered across multiple provinces this year, including Morobe, Eastern Highlands, Madang, East Sepik and Milne Bay, among others.

The First Aid in Schools Program continues to play a vital role in building safer schools and empowering young people with the confidence and skills to respond in emergencies.