The Federal Government has commenced the nationwide distribution of Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) ambulances and tricycle ambulances to strengthen emergency medical response, improve patient referrals and extend timely healthcare services to rural and hard-to-reach communities.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom S., mni, disclosed this on Monday at the flag-off ceremony held at the National Trauma Centre, Riyom, Plateau State.
Kachollom said the intervention was aimed at addressing transportation and last-mile access challenges that often delay access to lifesaving care, particularly in communities where difficult terrain and long distances hinder emergency referrals.
“Distance should not determine whether a life is saved,” Kachollom said, stressing that timely emergency transportation was critical in maternal and newborn emergencies, childhood illnesses, road crashes and other trauma cases.
She said the initiative formed part of the Federal Government’s broader efforts to establish a coordinated emergency medical service nationwide through the National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System (NEMSAS).
According to her, NEMSAS would provide a framework for linking emergency response, transportation and referral services to ensure that patients receive timely care regardless of their location.
“This intervention is about strengthening the link between the community, the emergency response system and the health facility,” she said.
Kachollom said the intervention in Plateau State would complement existing systems, including the State Ambulance System, the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) emergency-care pathway and the Rural Emergency Service and Maternal Transport (RESMAT) initiative, supported by the SAVEMAMA Digital RESMAT platform.
She also announced that Riyom General Hospital had been approved as an outpost of JUTH following collaboration with the Plateau State Government.
The Permanent Secretary urged the state authorities and other beneficiaries to ensure proper deployment, maintenance, staffing and monitoring of the emergency assets.
“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.
Kachollom stressed that the success of the programme would not be measured by the number of ambulances and tricycles distributed, but by their impact on patients and communities.
“The success of this programme will not be measured by the number of vehicles we distribute. It will be measured by the lives saved and the preventable deaths and disabilities reduced,” she said.
As part of her visit to Plateau State, Kachollom also visited the Snakebite Treatment Centre, Zamko, a rural outpost of JUTH, where she announced Federal Government support for the management of snakebite.
She described snakebite as a neglected tropical disease that continues to affect rural communities, particularly farmers.
“Snakebite remains a major challenge for our rural communities, especially farmers who are exposed to the risk in the course of their daily activities,” she said.
Kachollom announced the donation of antivenoms to the centre and disclosed that efforts were underway to incorporate snakebite management into NEMSAS and the social health insurance scheme.
She said the move would improve access to treatment while reducing the financial burden on families affected by snakebite.
“We want people in these communities to have access to treatment when they need it and not be pushed into financial hardship because of a medical emergency,” she said.
The Permanent Secretary said strengthening emergency and specialised services in underserved communities remained central to the ministry’s mandate of saving lives, reducing physical and financial pain and producing health for all.
She added that the intervention was in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII).
The Plateau State Governor, Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, represented by the Deputy Governor, Josephine Piyo, commended President Tinubu and the Federal Government for the intervention.
Piyo assured that the ambulances and other emergency assets would be properly deployed, responsibly utilised and maintained.
“We appreciate the Federal Government for this important intervention. We will ensure that these ambulances are put to the right use and maintained to serve the people of Plateau State,” she said.
The Chief Medical Director of JUTH reported that approximately 1,115 patients had been transported in Jos East, while more than 900 had been transported in Riyom through the emergency transport initiative.
He described the intervention as significant to efforts to reduce maternal mortality and strengthen emergency healthcare delivery.
“The numbers show that the emergency transport system is already making a difference. These services are particularly important for women and other patients who require urgent transportation to health facilities,” he said.
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare reaffirmed its commitment to expanding equitable access to emergency and specialised healthcare services, particularly for vulnerable populations and communities facing barriers to timely medical care.