The federal government has begun the nationwide distribution of Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulances and tricycle ambulances to strengthen emergency medical response and improve access to timely healthcare, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony held at the National Trauma Centre, Riyom, Plateau State on Monday, Daju Kachollom, permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, said the intervention was designed to address last-mile challenges in emergency transportation, particularly in hard-to-reach communities where delays in accessing healthcare could determine whether lives are saved.
According to her, the ambulances would support emergency response for maternal and newborn complications, childhood illnesses, road crashes and other trauma cases. “Minutes matter in emergency care. The difference between timely transportation and delay can quite literally be the difference between life and death,” she said. The intervention is being implemented under the National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System (NEMSAS), which provides a framework for coordinated emergency medical services across the country.
In Plateau State, Ms Kachollom said existing emergency-care interventions include the State Ambulance System, the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) emergency-care pathway and the Rural Emergency Service and Maternal Transport (RESMAT) initiative, which has been strengthened through the SAVEMAMA Digital RESMAT platform. At the ceremony, Ms Kachollom also announced the approval of Riyom General Hospital as an outpost of JUTH.
She said the approval by Muhammad Pate, coordinating minister of health and social welfare, followed the cooperation of the Plateau State government. The development is expected to strengthen access to specialised healthcare services in Riyom and surrounding communities while improving the referral pathway between primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities. Ms Kachollom commended the Plateau State government for its partnership and commitment to healthcare delivery.