The Federal Government has announced a major expansion of Nigeria’s emergency healthcare system, extending the National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System (NEMSAS) to 34 states while unveiling plans for a digital emergency dispatch platform to improve response to medical emergencies nationwide.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, made the announcement on Thursday while declaring open the 11th Annual Scientific Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Intensive and Critical Care Society of Nigeria (I-CCSN) in Abuja.
Speaking on the conference theme, “Sustainable Financing for Intensive Care in Public Hospitals in Nigeria,” the minister said the reforms were designed to strengthen emergency response, reduce preventable deaths and improve access to critical healthcare services across the country.
Dr. Salako disclosed that NEMSAS, which began as a pilot project in the Federal Capital Territory, has now expanded to 34 states, bringing Nigeria closer to achieving nationwide emergency medical coverage.
He also announced that the Federal Government is developing a digital emergency dispatch platform that will integrate emergency callers, ambulance services and treatment centres into a single system.
According to him, the platform will enable real-time emergency response, patient tracking, referrals and claims management, significantly improving coordination during medical emergencies.
“Critical illness does not discriminate,” the minister said. “No Nigerian family should be forced to choose between financial ruin and access to life-saving healthcare.”
He added, “We must develop sustainable financing mechanisms that strengthen our public hospitals, improve financial protection for citizens, and ensure that access to critical care is determined primarily by clinical need rather than the ability to pay.”
Dr. Salako stressed that effective critical care goes beyond the provision of Intensive Care Units (ICUs), noting that a functional emergency care system requires strong linkages among ambulance services, High Dependency Units, medical oxygen infrastructure, diagnostic services, health insurance, workforce development and rehabilitation services.
“It requires an integrated emergency care system that links ambulance services, High Dependency Units, medical oxygen systems, diagnostic services, health insurance, workforce development and rehabilitation services to deliver timely, life-saving care,” he said.
The minister also highlighted ongoing government efforts to strengthen oxygen availability through the installation of Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) Oxygen Plants in health facilities across the country to ensure a reliable supply of medical oxygen for critically ill patients.
On healthcare workforce development, Dr. Salako underscored the need for sustained investment in specialist education, fellowship programmes and continuous professional development for physicians, critical care nurses, biomedical engineers and other members of multidisciplinary care teams.
He called for stronger collaboration among the Federal Government, state governments, healthcare institutions, professional bodies, development partners and the private sector to translate discussions from the conference into practical, evidence-based policies.
“We must work together to strengthen critical care financing and expand equitable access to quality intensive care services for all Nigerians,” the minister said.