There Are Missing Links In Nigeria’s Healthcare During Emergencies -FG
The Federal Government has made some laments regarding the missing links that can be found in the tertiary, secondary and primary levels of the Nigerian healthcare sector under the health emergency cases.
In his presentation during a meeting with the National Emergency Medical Treatment Committee (NEMTC) and other stakeholders, Dr. Saidu Ahmed Dambulwa, the National Programme Manager of the National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System (NEMSAS), explained that when an emergency occurs, transporting the emergency victim to a nearby health facility as well as who pays the medical bill always constitutes as part of the missing links.
Therefore, Dr. Dambulwa stated that when the NEMTC and NEMSAS are fully operationalised, not only will the missing link be taken care of, but the healthcare delivery system in Nigeria will become more affordable.
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During the meeting, discussions was based on the need to fully operationalize NEMSAS so that Nigerians could benefit from it; Training the trainers programme to be introduced in order to build capacity both at the State and national levels to include the 774 Local Government Councils in Nigeria as well as close monitoring trend should be instituted especially at the Primary Health Care level.
Another point of discussion was the periodic auditing of the whole exercise/NEMSAS program to encourage efficiency, productivity and sustainability of the programme also top the agenda and the need for media personnel to be given the requisite training on how to also handle health-related emergencies. Health related bills and tariffs at all levels should be thoroughly reviewed to accommodate current realities on ground among others.
NEMSAS, SEMSAS along with other private medical health providers were optimistic that when the program is fully operationalised, the health care delivery system in Nigeria will greatly be enhanced.
As of now, six states have already shown their readiness and interest in kick-starting the programme in their respective states, namely, Yobe, Kano, Rivers, Sokoto, Ekiti and Anambra States.
The two days stakeholders meeting had been approved by the Dr. Osagie Ehanire, the Minister of Health, supported by the World Health Organization (WHO), and coordinated by the National Program Manager, NEMSAS.
