The National Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System (NEMSAS) has inaugurated a media cell to strengthen coverage of emergency medical services in the country.
Speaking during the ceremony in Abuja, the Chairman, National Emergency Medical Treatment Committee (NEMTC), Ismail Jibril, said there is low awareness about the program, adding that partnering with the media would help spotlight and also educate the populace.
He said, “the media cell is crucial because whatever the federal government is doing, there is a need to educate people about it, and we need people to know what we are doing too, so the importance of the media can never be overemphasized.”
Represented by a member of the committee and director general of the National Blood Service Agency, Prof Saleh Yuguda, said NEMSAS was established to cater for emergencies nationwide.
He said the goal is for the federal government to offer free treatment within the first 48 hours during emergencies.
NEMSAS’s National Program Manager, Dr. Emuren Doubra, said the organization has recorded some strides in increasing national emergency medical service footprints in the country but that they have been underreported.
He said it is important to partner with the media so that it could cascade and inform the public on the availability of emergency medical services, and also make it a system in schools, institutions and the lives of the people.
He stated that NEMSAS has been working in collaboration with the private sector, development partners and state health insurance agencies, among others.
Dr. Doubra further explained that the emergency medical treatment gateway of the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) is administered through a committee called the National Emergency Medical Treatment committee (NEMTC).
He said that NEMTC is operationalized through the NEMSAS programme.
“We understand that in Nigeria, there are fragmented emergency medical services, with the private sector, community based, CSOs and NGOs operating without a structured system. This causes leakages and non-standard emergency medical care in the country.
“So, what NEMSAS has come to do is to create standard procedures and also ensure that vulnerable patients and indigents get these services without having to bear the cost of immediate payment.
“We partner with other private sector organizations, other ambulance providers, hospitals that have ambulances to create a network so that when somebody has an emergency in one part of the country, you don’t need to send an ambulance from another part of the country to attend to them. Having that robust network and enabling it with technology is the focus, and by doing that, you reduce the response times and improve the patient outcomes,” he stated.
The national program manager commended the Coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Professor Mohammed Ali Pate, for putting emergency medical services as one of the pillars of his administration, and also ensuring that emergency medical service takes its position as an interlocutor between primary health care and secondary health care, as well as child care and maternal care.
The Executive Director of the International Society of Media in Public Health (ISMPH) and a member of the committee, Chief Moji Makanjuola, said it is crucial to leverage the power of the media in providing coverage for the organization’s activities.
She said, “We must be heard. We must be seen. We must be able to conceptualize it in such a way that it becomes the national discourse.”
“Until people know that such a service exists, they cannot make the best use of it. The media must see itself as a partner in progress to ensure that emergency care is available and to reduce mortality caused by lack of timely intervention.
“Until Nigerians know that such a life-saving service exists, we cannot maximize its potential. The media must see themselves as partners in saving lives.”
Dr Simeon Onyemechi, chairman of the forum of CEOs of state social health insurance agencies in Nigeria, said NEMSAS is a very commendable step that the country has taken to ensure that individuals (whether they have health insurance or not) are given access to both financial and quality health care that they need and when they need it.
Onyemechi, who is also the Managing Director/CEO, Anambra State Health Insurance Agency, said, “This ensures that individuals, whether insured or not, have access to emergency care at no cost within the first 48 hours. We vet hospital claims promptly and are working toward e-payment systems to make reimbursements faster and keep providers motivated.”
The Coordinator of the media cell, Ojoma Akor, pledged that the cell will carry out all responsibilities and expectations required of it.
“We pledge to spotlight the activities of Nexus. We pledge to sensitize the public about the issues. We pledge to follow up the story on the issues, the challenges, as well as the solutions, and we promise to be very good partners in all activities,” she said.
Dr Francis Ukwuije of the World Health Organization (WHO) said it would be difficult to achieve the objectives of NEMSAS without appropriate financing.
He, however, said that with the coordinating minister’s reforms and the National Health Sector Renewal Investment Programme, funding through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund has strengthened the system.
“It will be difficult to achieve the objectives of NEMSAS without appropriate financing. The coordinating minister’s reforms and the National Health Sector Renewal Investment Programme (NHSRIP) funding through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) have strengthened the system. What is now needed is for NEMSAS to be fully functional in all 36 states,” he added.
The Programme Manager of the FCT Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System, Dr Ozi Okonokhua, said efficient emergency medical and ambulance services save lives.
He said, “Every second counts. Nigerians should stop recording videos during accidents. Instead, call the emergency number, so ambulances can be dispatched quickly. In FCT, we have expanded our services to all area councils and work closely with the Federal Road Safety Corps, police, and emergency teams.”
The Co-founder and CEO of Emergency Response Africa, Folake Owodunni, said emergencies could affect anyone at any time, adding that they are often not appropriately addressed.
She said the goal of the private sector is to work alongside the public sector to expand capacity and ensure that everyone, not just those who can pay, gets the help they need when they need it.
She added that Emergency Response Africa serves as a connection between the hospitals and ambulance providers nationwide to improve response time and patient outcomes.
