Emergency Response Africa and Ogun State Government Partner to Transform Maternal Health with Rural Maternal Health Emergency Transportation Initiative

Emergency Response Africa (ERA), leading healthcare technology company in partnership with the Ogun State Government has launched a groundbreaking initiative to save the lives of pregnant women and infants through the Rural Maternal Health Emergency Transportation (R-MHET) service.

This pioneering program is designed to reduce maternal mortality and increase access to life-saving emergency obstetric care for rural communities, where healthcare infrastructure and timely access are critical challenges.

Driven by its mission to deliver fast and reliable emergency medical services across Nigeria, ERA is addressing one of the major barriers to maternal survival – the inability to reach healthcare facilities during obstetric emergencies.

Through this collaboration, ERA is ensuring that no woman loses her life due to preventable delays in receiving essential care.

The 2021 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) and the NDHIS 2018 for Ogun State revealed a state-level Maternal Mortality Ratio of 179 per 100,000 live births and an Infant Mortality Ratio, and Under-5 Mortality Ratio of 68/1000, 85/1000 live births respectively.

These figures underscore the urgent need for improved healthcare access, particularly for pregnant women in rural areas.

Many of these deaths occur due to delays in seeking help, reaching healthcare facilities, and receiving adequate care upon arrival—the exact challenges the R-MHET program is designed to overcome.

The R-MHET program combines cutting-edge technology with on-the-ground emergency services to deliver an efficient response to maternal health crises in rural communities.

Utilizing USSD and SMS-based dispatch systems, trained Community-Based First Responders will quickly transport pregnant women and infants to healthcare facilities in emergencies.

The program will expand the capacity of the Ogun State Ambulance and Emergency Service (OGSAES), strengthening referral systems across healthcare facilities.
 
The initiative offers free emergency transportation to pregnant women through a voucher system, with additional non-emergency transport available for antenatal care (ANC) appointments to reduce the risk of emergencies.

The service will launch in Odeda Local Government Area, with plans to scale the program to other regions of Ogun State in the coming months.

Speaking about this partnership, the Honourable Commissioner for Health, Ogun State, Dr. Tomi Coker, said “Research shows that when a mother dies, her child is 50 times more likely to die within the first month of life. The loss affects not just her family but the entire community. This initiative is a critical part of our strategy to reduce maternal mortality. Partnering with Emergency Response Africa allows us to provide women with the life-saving transportation they need during emergencies, saving mothers, children, and families. By saving one life, we are protecting the future of an entire community.”

Chief Executive Officer of Emergency Response Africa, Folake Owodunni, added “We started Emergency Response Africa because too many lives are lost to preventable causes in Nigeria. These are losses we cannot afford. Our partnership with the Ogun State Government on the Rural Maternal Health Emergency Transportation service will help us save more than 1,000 lives by ensuring that pregnant women can reach healthcare facilities during emergencies. This project is part of our broader mission to build a responsive emergency healthcare system in Nigeria that leaves no one behind.”

This project is generously supported by the Novartis Foundation and the Global Fund through the Health Tech Hub Innovation Challenge.

By linking emergency transport services with the Ogun State Health Insurance Agency, the initiative aims to establish a financially sustainable model that can be replicated across Nigeria.

In doing so, it not only addresses immediate healthcare needs but also lays the foundation for long-term improvements in maternal and emergency response services in Ogun State.