Obaseki Launches Edo Emergency Medical Services, Trains 200 Community-based Responders

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has boosted emergency response with the launch of the first phase of the emergency medical services in the state.

The emergency medical service provides toll free numbers of 112 and 739 linked to the Solomon Arase Command and Control Centre in the State to enable residents to get medical services within a space of ten minutes.

The Edo EMS emergency medical services number for prompt response to emergency health issues covers Oredo, Egor, and other selected parts of the state for the first or pilot phase of the programme. 200 Community-Based First Responders (CBFR) are to be trained in the next one week to flag off the programme.

Speaking to the 200 CBFR, at the John Odigie Oyegun Public Service Academy (JOOPSA), Obaseki said the Edo EMS emergency medical services number is one of the most innovative services that have been launched in Nigeria’s healthcare system.

 “The Edo Emergency Medical Services is an integrated system, as you can’t do one without the other. You must have a network of responders, carefully selected people across the network, give them required training and support, have communication devices, and a functional command and control centre where calls come in as each step is monitored, and a system that pays for these services on a sustainable basis. In Nigeria, we have not been able to sustain our emergency response.

“We have been able to crack it in Edo state and I am here to be trained as an emergency responder. We must care for our people and care for each other. We have partners ready to collaborate with us as they are truly committed to providing emergency services for our people.

“This service is possible because of the diligent steps taken in the last six years as a government to think through how to provide services for our people and citizens, particularly in the healthcare sector. We realised early that healthcare is not equal to hospitals but a system that provides for the well-being of the people, ” he said.

Speaking on the State’s Health Insurance Scheme and efforts to make healthcare affordable for Edo residents, Obaseki said the scheme is one of the best run in Nigeria with over 200,000 enrolees in the short term.

Representative of Partner Emergency Response Africa, Folake Owodunni who made a presentation on Project Overview of Edo EMS said emergency care is the right of every citizen and should be accessed by everyone in the State.

She noted: “We have selected 200 responders who will be trained as we have developed a robust training curriculum. We have revitalized and prepared four ambulances for the pilot phase for Oredo, Egor and selected parts of the state.”