Nigeria: Govt Begins Nationwide Distribution of Ambulances to Strengthen Emergency Care

The Nigerian federal government has commenced a nationwide distribution of Advanced Life Support ambulances and tricycle ambulances to bolster emergency medical services and enhance access to timely healthcare, particularly in rural and underserved regions. This initiative, spearheaded by permanent secretary Daju Kachollom of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, aims to tackle last-mile challenges in emergency transportation, especially in remote communities where delays can mean life or death.

The ambulances will assist in managing maternal and newborn complications, childhood illnesses, road accidents, and various trauma cases.

The project is anchored under the National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System (NEMSAS), which outlines a coordinated approach to emergency medical services nationwide. In Plateau State, existing emergency care systems include the State Ambulance System, the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) emergency pathway, and the Rural Emergency Service and Maternal Transport (RESMAT) initiative, which has been enhanced by the SAVEMAMA Digital RESMAT platform.

At the flag-off ceremony held at the National Trauma Centre, Riyom, Kachollom unveiled the approval of Riyom General Hospital as an extension of JUTH. This move, endorsed by Muhammad Pate, the coordinating minister of health and social welfare, is set to bolster access to specialized healthcare services in Riyom and adjacent areas, as well as improve the referral process between primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare facilities.

Kachollom credited the Plateau State government for its partnership and dedication to healthcare delivery, pledging that the federal ministry would ensure the ambulances are appropriately deployed, maintained, staffed, and monitored, while emphasizing accountability in their management.

The success of this program will be assessed based on lives saved and the reduction of preventable deaths and disabilities rather than the quantity of ambulances distributed. JUTH's Chief Medical Director, Pokop Bupwatda, highlighted the initiative's impact, noting that it has facilitated the transportation of over 1,115 patients in Jos East Local Government Area and more than 900 patients in Riyom, with minimal maternal deaths.

Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, also present, viewed the distribution as a strategic investment in emergency healthcare, emphasizing its alignment with the state's healthcare objectives and its potential to address transportation difficulties in remote areas.