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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The Federal Government has procured and distributed 145 tricycle ambulances, six boat ambulances, as well as emergency communication and dispatch equipment to healthcare facilities across the country to strengthen pre-hospital emergency care nationwide.
The government also commissioned several health infrastructure projects across the country, including Emergency Operations Centres in Kano, Sokoto and Katsina states; the Lagos Vaccine Hub; primary healthcare infrastructure in Delta State; and multiple projects in federal teaching hospitals and federal medical centres.
Other projects include the Trauma Centre at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria; the Mental Health Complex at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital; the Infertility and Assisted Reproductive Technology Centre in Bauchi; the Laboratory Complex at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital; and the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Complex at the Federal Medical Centre, Abuja, among others.
The government said the investments reflect a bold national vision in which no Nigerian should lose his or her life because timely and structured medical assistance was unavailable.
Speaking at the launch of the equipment in Abuja on Friday, the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Iziaq Salako, said the equipment would significantly enhance the operations of the National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System (NEMSAS).
He noted that over the last three years, the Federal Government has sustained efforts toward achieving universal health coverage by expanding health insurance coverage by more than 33 per cent, revitalising over 4,000 primary healthcare centres, and establishing 15 new federal tertiary health institutions to bring healthcare services closer to the people.
He added that more than 500 high-impact specialist health infrastructure projects, including cancer centres of excellence and diagnostic centres, have been developed to reverse the trend of medical tourism.
National Programme Manager of NEMSAS, Demuren Doubra, explained that the tricycle ambulances were designed to transport pregnant women and newborns during emergencies in hard-to-reach communities.
According to him, the vehicle ambulances powered by Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) would be deployed to federal tertiary health facilities, while the tricycle ambulances would operate at the community level.
Doubra disclosed that more than 58,000 women and over 2,000 newborns have already benefited from emergency transport interventions under the programme.
He cited the case of a pregnant woman who was transported over 180 kilometres from Dukku Local Government Area of Gombe State and later delivered triplets safely. “This is a woman who could have died because of a transportation gap,” he said.
“With these facilities and equipment, NEMSAS will address delays in accessing care for women and newborns,” he added.
He further explained that the ambulances are being deployed across 15 states under the World Bank-supported IMPACT project and will serve local government areas.
Director of Community Health Services at the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Nana Abubakar, said the initiative would strengthen emergency transportation, referral systems, and rapid access to lifesaving care.
“It will help reduce preventable deaths, especially among mothers, newborns, children, and other vulnerable groups,” she said.
