The Chairman of the National Emergency Medical Treatment Committee (NEMTC) has spoken of the lack of awareness in communities about the presence of its emergency services, toll free numbers to prompt quick responses.
He also said most community residents are yet to understand that it is more faster to make use of these emergency services than dragging someone into a taxi to a hospital.
Dr. Ismaila Jibrin revealed this while speaking with journalists at a two day retreat in Abuja.
Emphasizing on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed to ensure the smooth implementation of rural emergency medical services, ambulance services, and maternal transportation in all states, either as pilot projects or at full scale, he said it is paramount to improving the country’s current distressing statistics.
“We will set up a meet with representatives from the World Bank to discuss the implementation plan for the ResSmart program in Nigeria”, he said on Thursday.
The MOU was signed in a bid to ensure that all the states that have rolled out will commence the rural emergency medical services.
The aim is to harness that potentials there is in the World Bank project, and is part of government’s effort to reduce hyperpregmentation of activities in the country.
Co-Chairman of NEMTC, Professor Seyeifa Brisibe said challenges faced by the Committee are exacerbated in the southern region, hindrances like water-locked communities that has forced an alternate means of transportation.
“Diverse challenges, encompassing inadequate road networks in (Nigeria’s) northern region are crucial considerations, he said.
“It is imperative that we address these challenges comprehensively, which is the primary objective of this retreat to overcome these obstacles to establish a robust and resilient national emergency medical treatment system through the National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System (NEMSAS) to safeguard every life”, he added.
Prof. Brisibe also spoke of the importance of strengthening the referral systems, while highlighting the benefits it would bring to the country.
The National Programme Manager of NEMSAS listed the strategies employed to expand these services to all the states of the country. Dr. Saidu Ahmed Dumbulwa enumerated that this will be preceded by assessments to ensure that the required standards are met.
“The process involves states showing commitments to implementing these services and subsequently, they will be encouraged to initiate pilot schemes in selected local governments before expanding further”, he posited.
The objectives of the retreat, according to him, borders on the ratification of Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) gateway guidelines, the identification of key indicators for EMT gateway pillars, and the delineation of the scope of the EMT gateway.
The roles and responsibilities of EMT gateway structures – NEMTC, NEMSAS, SEMTC, and SEMSAS – will be clarified.
“Collaboration with partners under the National Emergency Medical Teams will be explored together with the ratification of approved Memoranda of Cooperation (MOC) under the NEMTC gateway”, he concluded.
He also spoke on Yobe state and the number of lives it has saved through its emergency services, revealing that if it can save over a 1000 lives, other states and the FCT can replicate this. In doing so, Nigeria would be saving over 36,000 lives.