*The Nigerian Communications Commission says the objective of the National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance Systems project is to increase access to healthcare, and reduce mortality cum morbidity rates in order to improve healthcare outcomes to all Nigerian consumers

Gbenga Kayode | 绿帽献妻

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has stated that the National Emergency Number 112, which the telecoms regulatory Commission it instituted and superintends, is the most critical infrastructure necessary for the successful implementation of the National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance Systems (NEMSAS) recently launched by the Federal Ministry of Health.

The NCC disclosed the NEMSAS is established as a programme implementation unit in the Office of the Honourable Minister for Health.

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Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, Director of Public Affairs at NCC, Friday, February 18, 2022, noted that the project was designed to establish an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) enabled emergency medical service that is effective, efficient, timely, and in partnership with health professionals in the private sector of the economy.

Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, Director of Public Affairs at NCC, representing Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, Executive Vice-Chairman/CEO on the occasion聽

The Commission also stated that the objective of this new healthcare project is to increase access to healthcare, and to reduce mortality and morbidity rates in order to improve health care outcomes to all Nigerians.

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By integrating disparate Emergency Medical Services (EMS) resources available in Nigeria, the scheme will coordinate the national roll-out of EMS, enabling services to be provided through relationship with other entities and organisations, Dr. Adinde further said.

The Commission stated: 鈥淚n essence, NEMSAS will rely on many organisational partners to perform its EMS service delivery functions and the NCC鈥檚 112 Emergency Number is going to drive the communication element of the project.

鈥淚t suffices to reiterate that the overarching vision of NEMSAS is to ensure availability of an emergency medical service and ambulance system that provides quality, prompt, effective and accessible transport and treatment services at no cost at the point of care across the country.鈥�

The stakeholders performed the public signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the NEMSAS project between the Federal Ministry of Health, other relevant agencies and development partners at the Shehu Umar Musa Yar鈥橝dua Centre, in Abuja, FCT.

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In his remarks at the event, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, Executive Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of NCC, said the Commission was delighted to provide the technology platform that would link the NEMSAS partners with those who require emergency health services in the West African country.

Prof. Danbatta, represented at the forum by Dr. Adinde, Director Public Affairs, said that 鈥渁s the national telecommunications regulator, the NCC is providing the communication ingredient for the initiative through its 112 Emergency Number, thereby allowing those in health-related emergencies to be able to reach out to stakeholders that are involved in the NEMSAS project.鈥�

The EVC/CEO also said: 鈥淭he NCC has been at the forefront of deploying ICT to drive the implementation of various government projects and initiatives.

Cross-sections of participants at the event in Abuja

鈥淭he 112 number is at the heart of this initiative to provide a national number to Nigerians who are in need of health-related emergencies to be able to call Emergency Response Agencies (ERAs) or organisations in life-threatening situations.鈥�

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He further expressed the 鈥渦nwavering commitment of NCC to supporting NEMSAS鈥� implementation as well as similar governmental initiatives as part of the strategic programmes of improving Nigeria鈥檚 digital culture through policies instituted by our supervising Ministry, the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy.鈥�

Danbatta commended Dr. Osagie Ehanire, Honourable Minister for Health, other government agencies, such as the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), various private sector partners and international development partners involved in the project, for giving priority to EMS in order to progress towards providing universal health coverage (UHC) to all Nigerians regardless of their locations and circumstances through the NEMSAS initiative.

The Commission noted over the years, Nigerians in distress and life-threatening situations have used 112 emergency number to get succour from ERAs to ensure safety of lives and property.

The role played by 112 Emergency Number, particularly at the peak and vortex of COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria has been adjudged phenomenal, said the NCC.

The telecoms sector regulator stated: 鈥淐urrently, there are 24 Emergency Communication Centres (ECCs) in Nigeria that are operational across different states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

鈥淭he ECCs are built and operated through partnerships, by the NCC as points where distressed calls by citizens terminate, from where they are routed to the appropriated emergency response and security agencies that manage such incidents.鈥�

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