FG to provide transport services to 1.7m rural pregnant women – Official

 

By Idris Ayinde

Mr Nasir Yakubu, the Head, Claims Management, National Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System (NEMSAS), says the federal government would provide free emergency transportation services to 1.7 million pregnant rural dwellers in the country.

Yakubu stated this in Bauchi on Friday during state’s stakeholders engagement for rural ambulance and transportation services implementation in the state.

According to him, this would be achieved and carried out under the World Bank assisted NEMSAS through the State Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System (SEMSAS) across the 15 selected impact project states by December, 2025, with Bauchi being one of them.

“President Bola Tinubu’s drive in accelerating Nigeria towards achieving universal health coverage through last mile access to quality health care is envisaged to be actualised through a sector wide approach programme.

“This programme is themed Nigeria health sector renewal investment initiatives championed by the Coordinating Minister of Health.

“Crucial to this strategy is a need to ensure access to appropriate, effective, efficient and timely emergency transport for rural dwellers who bear the brunt from observed limited access to health care through evidence-based emergency service programmes.

“One of the goals of this programme is to drive demand for, and improve access to timely, effective, and efficient Rural emergency services and maternal transportation for 1.7million pregnant rural dwellers in 15 Selected impact project states by December 2025,” he said.

He also said that the programme aimed to provide 24/7 medical emergency services to citizens who need it anywhere at no cost for the first 48 hours with a fleet of different categories of Ambulances.

Also speaking, the Bauchi state Commissioner for Health, Dr Sani Dambam, says that the Federal Government’s NEMSAS programme is a life saving initiative.

He commended President Bola Tinubu and Dr Ali Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare for the programme, adding that it’s a life saving initiative that would be sustained by the state government.

Represented by Dr Suleiman Abubakar, Director, Medical Services, Ministry of Health, Dambam said that the federal government had successfully launched NEMSAS through the State Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System (SEMSAS) in Bauchi state.

“It is in that line that the officials from NEMSAS paid a visit to have a meeting on how to Kickstart the programme on a proper note.

“We sincerely appreciate the effort of Mr President and that of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare because this is by far one of the best interventions that is going to impact positively on our rural populace.

“We will be displaying injustice to the federal government if we refuse to say that this intervention is one of the best things that happened to the Nigeria population.

“This is because where most of our people are dying is during emergencies and this scheme is for good and it’s going to crash our maternal mortality and under 5 mortality.

“The government is coming to say that right from your room, there is somebody who is going to lift you, take you to a medical centre where you will spend 48 hours receiving treatment free of charge,” he said.

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