Pulse.ng : NEMSAS urges Kaduna to key into rural emergency medical services

Stella Kabruk

The Manager of National Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System (NEMSAS), Dr Saidu Ahmed-Dumbulwa has urged the Kaduna State Government to commence operations of rural emergency and maternal trust fund system in the state.

Ahmed-Dumbulwa made the plea on Friday during a press briefing at the State Ministry of Health.

He said that based on their assessment, the equipment needed in terms of communication and connection of the ambulance and emergency call centre were already in place.

The manager added that commencing the rural emergency medical services and ambulance system was key to saving the lives of women and children especially in places with poor indices of maternal child mortality.

“Couple of weeks ago, we came and we boarded the state and realised that the state is actually eligible to commence pilot operation and now we are back to emphasise.

“We are here to also create another demand for the need to focus on the rural emergency ambulance system and maternal transport in a bid to change the narrative of neglected tragedy of maternal mortality rate in the state and country.

“Some states in Northern part have started piloting, some have actually gone pilot operation and this is an opportunity for the state to commence, we are happy they are committed in doing it.

“We are going to work together in the spirit of inclusiveness to ensure that we actually do it together to save the lives of the poor and vulnerable in the state and the country at large,” he said.

Ahmed-Dumbulwa, who doubles as the Senior Technical Adviser to the Coordinating Minister of Health on Health and Social Welfare, added that if the state became beneficiary of NEMSAS, it citizens could leverage a toll-free number to call ambulance to evacuate accident victims to nearby health facilities.

On arrival, he said, the patients would be received, admitted and receive medical care for the next 48 hours at no cost.

According to him, the cost will be reimbursed by the federal government through NEMSAS.

He explained that participation in the NEMSAS was private and public sector driven, where only NHIA accredited health facilities would participate.

“The ambulance could be either private or of the public sector and the money for the services are not from the federal government’s budget, where cash disbursement could be contemplated.

“The funds are from the federal government’s revenue generation, where one per cent is set aside for health care and some portion of the money for the healthcare is also allocated for NEMSAS programme,” he said.

He noted that NEMSAS, would stimulate the economy, create jobs and save the lives of the poor and vulnerable.

“Before now, investment in the health sector was huge, however, the indices of maternal and under five mortality was not decreasing,” he lamented.

The manger said with NEMSAS people would be relieved of cost of transportation and medical care.

“This is why the federal government felt it is important to address some of these issues by coming up with NEMSAS so as to tackle maternal transport, first 48 hours medical care at no cost to the patients.

“Doing so, will change the narrative, by reducing maternal and child mortality in the country and save the lives of the poor and vulnerable, who may experience medical emergency. Every Nigerian is at risk of medicine emergency,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NEMSAS is a federal government’s initiative tasked with the responsibility of organising emergency medical services and pre-hospital and emergency care services in Nigeria.

It was also established to ensure that the services have a sustainable and high-impact service element in Nigeria’s health system architecture.

The primary mission of NEMSAS is to establish and operationalise emergency medical services, while concurrently coordinating all ambulance services across the nation.

Also speaking, Dr Jonathan Gajere, the Director, Hospital Services, Kaduna, said the state was ready to key fully into the national emergency medical services and ambulance system.

Gajere assured that the state had prepared for it and had been given full permission after assessment.

“They came about three weeks ago to assess our readiness to be onboard and went back, their report passed through the office of the coordinating minister and social welfare and we have been given full permission to join,” he said.

He said with the development, the state was ready key into the system “that deals with rural emergency and movement of women and children under five, especially from rural areas to hospitals.

“We are really happy, the efforts made so far is now paying, this mark a turning point in the health system of Kaduna state,” he said.

While appreciating the federal government’s efforts for making funds available to run the programme, Gajere assured that they would continue to access the services and onboard others. (NAN)