The Federal Government has started distributing Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) ambulances and tricycle ambulances across the country as part of efforts to improve emergency response, particularly for people living in rural and hard-to-reach communities.
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom S., mni, announced the rollout on Monday at the flag-off ceremony held at the National Trauma Centre, Riyom, Plateau State.
Kachollom said the vehicles are expected to help tackle one of the biggest problems facing emergency care in remote communities — getting patients to the right health facility quickly.
“Distance should not determine whether a life is saved,” she said.
She said delays in accessing emergency transportation can be particularly dangerous during maternal and newborn emergencies, childhood illnesses, road crashes and other trauma cases.
The challenge goes beyond putting ambulances on the road
The new vehicles are being deployed under the Federal Government’s plan to develop a coordinated emergency medical system through the National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System (NEMSAS).
But for communities where distance and difficult terrain remain barriers to healthcare, the real test will be how quickly and consistently the vehicles can respond when they are needed.
An ambulance parked at a health facility does little for a patient if there is no trained crew to operate it, fuel to keep it running, money for maintenance or a functioning referral system at the other end.
That is why Kachollom said the Federal Government’s intervention would need to be matched by commitment from the states.
“The Federal Government has made its contribution, and we expect the State Government to complement this investment through appropriate budgetary commitments and contributory funding to strengthen and sustain emergency medical services across Plateau State,” she said.
She also stressed that the success of the programme should not be judged by the number of vehicles distributed.
According to her, the real measure would be how many lives are saved and how many preventable deaths and disabilities are reduced.
Plateau already records thousands of emergency transfers
In Plateau State, the new intervention will work alongside existing services, including the State Ambulance System, the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) emergency-care pathway and the Rural Emergency Service and Maternal Transport (RESMAT) initiative.
The Chief Medical Director of JUTH said the existing emergency transport initiative had already transported about 1,115 patients in Jos East and more than 900 in Riyom.
The figures point to the demand for emergency transport in communities outside major urban centres, particularly where patients may struggle to get to hospitals on their own.
The CMD said the intervention would contribute to efforts to reduce maternal mortality and strengthen emergency care in the state.
Kachollom also announced that Riyom General Hospital had been approved as an outpost of JUTH, following collaboration with the Plateau State Government.
She called for proper deployment, staffing, maintenance and monitoring of the new emergency assets.
Government adds snakebite treatment to emergency plans
The Permanent Secretary’s visit to Plateau State also took her to the Snakebite Treatment Centre in Zamko, a rural outpost of JUTH.
There, she announced Federal Government support for the treatment of snakebite, which she described as a neglected tropical disease that continues to affect rural communities, especially farmers.
The government will provide antivenoms to the centre, while plans are also underway to incorporate snakebite management into NEMSAS and the social health insurance scheme.
The move is expected to make treatment more accessible and reduce the financial burden on families affected by snakebite.
State government promises maintenance
The Plateau State Governor, Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, represented by Deputy Governor Josephine Piyo, commended the Federal Government for the intervention.
Piyo assured the Federal Government that the ambulances would be properly deployed, responsibly used and maintained.
For the Federal Government, the broader objective is to ensure that emergency and specialised healthcare is not limited by geography.
The Ministry said it would continue working with state governments and other stakeholders to expand access to emergency services and ensure that where a Nigerian lives does not determine whether they can receive timely, affordable and lifesaving care.
For communities in Plateau and other underserved parts of the country, however, the impact of the programme will ultimately be felt not at the flag-off ceremonies, but when an emergency occurs and help arrives in time.
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