the Ogun State The government says it has introduced a 24-hour ambulance service in communities and rural areas to deal with health emergencies.
Health Commissioner Tomi Coker said this at a press conference in Abeokuta on Friday.
She said the state could only boast five basic life support ambulances in 2019, which is currently increased to 26 to cover all nine federal constituencies.
According to her, the 24-hour ambulance service extends to communities and rural areas, with more than 16 ambulance points in strategic locations in the three senatorial districts.
Ms Coker said that the introduction of tricycle ambulances in the interior had been helpful in addressing infant and maternal mortality, which in the past was caused by a lack of transport to health facilities.
The commissioner added that 70 percent of Ogun residents in rural areas could be easily transported to any nearby primary health care center in an emergency.
She said that “we have been able to provide community ambulance services, which means people can call us for emergency response.
“We are happy that the confidence of Ogun residents in our government continues to grow, considering the total of 220 emergency calls received in 2018 and the 520 calls received in 2021.”
Some of the exposed ambulances
Ms. Coker noted that the formal launch of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund in February provided an opportunity to access five per cent of the fund, enabling the government to provide free emergency care to victims within the first 48 hours.
The Director of Ambulance and Emergency Services, Hassan Adelakun, said the department had the free national emergency lines 112 and 08112000033 available for 24 hours to activate the nearest ambulance point.
According to the director, the department also provides a free follow-up service, which transfers patients to any higher level of care.
He added that patients were also being transferred under the monitoring service from homes, offices and communities to the nearest center to access medical care.
(YAYA)
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