The National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System has held a stakeholders’ engagement meeting in Gombe State, Nigeria.
PERISCOPE NIGERIA reports that it was held to discuss the Rural Emergency Services and Maternal Transportation programme supported by the World Bank.
This initiative under NEMSAS is designed to reduce delays in emergency medical care, especially in rural communities, by improving maternal and emergency transport services.
A NEMSAS Resource Person Professor Ahmed Lawal, in a presentation said “The goal of RESMAT is to drive demand for and improve access to timely, quality, effective, and efficient rural emergency services and maternal transportation for 1.7 million pregnant rural dwellers in 15 selected project states by December 2025.”
He added that RESMAT was designed specifically to serve rural populations, where maternal mortality rates are highest: “We believe that by doing so, we will reduce the indices
Professor Lawal emphasised the importance of engaging stakeholders at local levels to promote ownership of the programme, “We expect stakeholders’ engagement at the state level to be extended to rural areas, so they feel ownership of the programme. With support from the National level and partners, basic infrastructure will be procured and distributed, laying the groundwork for full implementation.”
“By focusing on rural populations with high maternal mortality rates, we believe we ca significantly reduce these figures,” he noted.
Gombe State Commissioner for Health Dr Habu Dahiru, expressed the government’s dedication to enhancing maternal and infant healthcare in Gombe through RESMAT: “The Gombe State Government is keen to leverage RESMAT to enhance the systems it has already established.
The burden of maternal and infant mortality is largely due to delays in accessing healthcare facilities,” he explained. This programme includes free emergency transportation within the first 48 hours of critical cases, aiming to eliminate the delays that contribute to maternal and infant deaths.
He said the programme will be piloted in selected rural hospitals, with plans for future expansion.
The initiative also addresses a range of emergency services, including responses to road traffic accidents.
Dahiru, explained, “In any emergency, when they call 211, an ambulance or tricycle will be dispatched to the patient.
He clarified that NEMSAS is primarily a Gombe State-led initiative, with the Federal Teaching Hospital (FTH) collaborating to expand its reach. “The project is that of Gombe State, not FTH alone. The emergency ambulance service is the Gombe State programme, with FTH just keying in as the Federal government supports,” he stated.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health Dr Ibrahim Yakubu, appreciated contributions of stakeholders and reiterated government commitment to delivering quality healthcare services to the people.
“We appreciate the active contributions of all stakeholders and emphasize the importance of collaboration in achieving the programme’s goals,” he noted.
The Programme Coordinator of the State Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance Dr Suraj Abdulkarim, elaborated on the goals of RESMAT: “One of the biggest causes of maternal death is delay in transportation to healthcare facilities.
This programme provides free transport for pregnant women or others in emergencies, with the government reimbursing health facilities.” The pilot phase will target five high-risk local Government Areas for maternal mortality, incorporating both public and private health facilities that will be reimbursed for delivering emergency services.
The target local government areas are Balanga, Kaltungo, Nafada, Dukku and Yamaltu Deba Local Government Areas.
The Gombe State Executive Secretary of the Primary Health Care Development Agency,Dr Abdulrahman Shuaibu, pledged the agency’s full support, saying, “The agency will provide full support.”
Other key stakeholders, including representatives from Civil Society Organisations, health professional bodies, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Police, and the Chief Medical Director of the State Specialist Hospital, delivered goodwill messages, all affirming their endorsement of the RESMAT initiative to improve health outcomes in Gombe’s rural communities.
