FCTA Begins Full Implementation Of National Emergency Medical Service, Ambulance System

From Emmanuel Iyoho

ABUJA

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration has said that it is ready to commence full implementation of the National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System (NEMSAS) in the Territory.

Secretary for the Health and Human Services Secretariat, Dr Abubakar Tafida, revealed this following the presentation of a memo on the scheme to the FCT Executive Committee (EXCO) meeting held in Abuja recently.

Tafida noted that as part of the National Health Act 2014, the Federal Government approved for five per cent of the basic healthcare provision fund to be used for emergency medical and ambulance services.

He held the Federal Capital Territory Executive Committee had approved the immediate implementation of the pilot scheme in the FCT as well as granting the permission to engage a total of 66 personnel for the pilot programme.

According to him,” We are talking of a situation where if there is any injury or any ill health that is capable of risking the life of an individual or posing a permanent disability to the health of that individual, he or she is meant to be given prompt care at the point of the incident”.

He said  that  prompt transportation in an ambulance system to an emergency treatment centre in designated hospitals and treatment will be provided until such a  person  was stabilized for further treatment in that same hospital or transferred to a higher hospital where better care appropriate for that injury or ill health was provided.

The secretary for the Health and Human Services Secretariat said during the first 48 hours of an emergency, not a single dime would be asked from this particular individual. 

Said he:”So, essentially, it’s a big plus for the health sector where a lot of delays would narrowed and where lives would be saved and disabilities are reduced maximally or even avoided”.

Tafida also disclosed that the FCT Administration had already begun a dry run for the pilot phase of the scheme and challenges and possible problems have been identified.

“We are integrating these challenges as corrected in the next dry run before finally, we begin a real pilot involving real patients into our hospitals” he said.

Recall that the FCT was selected to pilot the new National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System, which is a national programme of the Federal Ministry of Health that will be implemented in the 36 state of the Federation and the FCT.

It provides a prehospital care in the form of ambulance services, to transport patients to hospitals and emergency medical treatment services for up to 48 hours in the hospitals at no immediate cost to the patient at the point of care.

The appointment of Dr Abdulateef Bello, acting director, Department of Security Services, as the new substantive director of the Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS) to strengthen the activities of the Directorate was also was announced at the meeting. 

Other issues including the provision of social service infrastructure in education, health and transportation amongst others as well as efforts at the completion of on-going projects were also given considerable attention.

The meeting was attended by the permanent secretary, FCTA, Mr Olusade Adesola, the chief of staff to the minister, MalamBashir Mai-Bornu, executive secretary, FCDA, Engr Shehu HadiAhmed, mandate secretaries and special assistants to the minister as well as heads of strategic agencies and departments of the FCTA.