Medical facilities across Ogun State have received a major boost as the Federal Government deployed 13 ambulances to strengthen emergency medical services and improve access to timely, life-saving care.
The intervention comprises three Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulances, one Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulance and nine tricycle ambulances under the National Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System (NEMSAS).
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, disclosed this on Friday during the flag-off and distribution of the ambulances to selected health facilities in the state at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta.
Salako said the intervention was part of the Federal Government’s commitment under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to strengthen emergency medical transportation, first-responder capacity, communication systems and emergency-care coordination across the country.
According to him, the Federal Government has acquired 145 tricycle ambulances, six boats, 15 BLS ambulances and 79 ALS ambulances, alongside communication and other equipment, as part of the first phase of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s emergency medical services system.
He said the Ogun beneficiaries include FMC Abeokuta, Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH) and selected high-volume, remote secondary and primary healthcare facilities.
The Minister stressed that emergency medical services go beyond the provision of ambulances, noting that survival in critical situations often depends on how quickly patients are stabilised, transported and connected to definitive hospital care.
He urged the Ogun State Government and beneficiary facilities to ensure proper deployment, maintenance and accountability for the vehicles, while providing complementary operational funding to sustain the service.
Salako warned that the ambulances must not be diverted for non-emergency purposes and directed that they be operated by trained personnel, properly maintained and subjected to effective monitoring and documentation.
“These ambulances are not hearses for moving corpses or vehicles for going to the market to purchase goods, including drugs and other hospital consumables,” he cautioned.
The Minister also disclosed that the Federal Government would work with the legislative arm and other stakeholders to address the fragmented regulatory framework governing first responders and emergency management in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, Salako said his office had received complaints and media reports alleging unprofessional conduct, dereliction of duty and illegal collection of levies by some officials at FMC Abeokuta.
He said the complaints would receive comprehensive attention and assured that anyone found culpable would be sanctioned in accordance with the Public Service Rules.
The Minister called for stronger collaboration among government agencies, health facilities, emergency responders, security agencies, private-sector stakeholders and communities to build an accessible, coordinated and sustainable emergency medical system.
He said the intervention demonstrated the Federal Government’s commitment to saving lives and restoring dignity to Nigerians during medical emergencies.