By Muhammad Amaan
The Federal Government of Nigeria has inaugurated the National Emergency Medical Treatment Committee, (NEMTC) and Rural Emergency Service and Maternal Transport (RESMAT), a significant step towards addressing the country’s alarming maternal and child mortality rates.
At the inauguration of the committee, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, emphasised the critical need for improved access to emergency medical services, particularly in low-income and rural areas where healthcare infrastructure remains inadequate.
“Nigeria accounts for one in every four global maternal deaths, a grim statistic that underscores the urgent need for comprehensive emergency medical services,” he said.
He noted that timely and effective emergency responses could drastically reduce these mortality rates and is vital to achieving universal health coverage in Nigeria.
“The NEMTC, established under the National Health Act of 2014, is tasked with administering 5% of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) through the National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System (NEMSAS) programme.
“Initially launched in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in 2022, NEMSAS is set to expand nationwide, with a particular focus on rural areas through the Rural Emergency Service and Maternal Transport (RESMAT) initiative,” he noted.
RESMAT aims to bridge critical gaps in emergency healthcare by enhancing transportation infrastructure and ensuring financial protection for pregnant women during obstetric emergencies.
This initiative is seen as a crucial component of the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, aligning with the current administration’s goals for the health sector.
As the NEMTC embarks on its mission, Prof. Pate called on its members to prioritize the delivery of quality, efficient, and timely emergency medical services across the country, stressing the importance of their role in improving Nigeria’s healthcare outcomes.
The Chairman of the National Emergency Treatment Committee (NEMTC) Dr Ismail Jibrin highlighted the critical importance of a robust EMS system, noting that it is essential for the resilience of any healthcare system and can be the difference between life and death in emergencies.
He expressed grave concern over the alarming rise in trauma-related morbidity and mortality in Nigeria, exacerbated by terrorism, civil unrest, accidents, and natural disasters.
Dr Jibrin underscored the dire situation of maternal mortality, where Nigeria ranks third highest globally, attributing many of these deaths to preventable causes such as postpartum hemorrhage and infections.
The chairman emphasized that the establishment of a world-class EMS system in Nigeria is not just a healthcare priority but a moral imperative to ensure that all citizens, irrespective of their socioeconomic status, receive timely, life-saving care.
He highlighted the public-private partnership model as the most sustainable approach to building this system, with a revised tariff schedule soon to be announced to better align with market realities and attract private sector involvement.
Dr. Jibrin reaffirmed the NEMTC’s commitment to actualizing the Minister’s “Life First” agenda, which mandates immediate emergency care in all hospitals, irrespective of police reports.
He called for collective efforts to ensure that the vision of an equitable, efficient, and quality EMS system becomes a reality, ultimately enhancing Nigeria’s healthcare resilience and saving countless lives.
By leveraging both the 112 emergency numbers and a new 11-digit rural-specific number, the initiative seeks to enhance access to emergency services in rural areas, with a target to significantly improve maternal and child health outcomes by December 2025.
Highlight of the event was the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Rural Emergency Service and Maternal Transport (RESMAT) with National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP).
The MoU centres on the establishment of the Rural Emergency Service and Maternal Transport (RESMAT) initiative, which is designed to address critical healthcare challenges in remote areas.
