By Daniel Tyokua
The Federal Government has approved 5 per cent basic healthcare provision fund for the Federal Capital Territory to be used for emergency medical and ambulance services.
Mandate Secretary FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat disclosed this during FCT Executive Committee meeting.
He explained that the fund has been approved for the immediate implementation of the pilot scheme in the FCT as well as granting of permission to engage a total of 66 personnel for the take off stage.
This is contained in a statement issued by Anthony Ogunleye Chief Press Secretary to the Minister on Tuesday in Abuja.
According to the statement, FCT Administration is set to begin the full implementation of the National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System (NEMSAS) in the Territory.
“We are talking of a situation where if there is any injury or any ill health that is capable of risking the life of an individual or posing a permanent disability to the health of that individual, he or she is meant to be given prompt care at the point of the incident.
“It will then prompt transportation in an ambulance system to an emergency treatment centre in designated hospitals and treatment would be provided until such a person is stabilized for further treatment in that same hospital or transferred to a higher hospital where better care appropriate for that injury or ill health is provided”.
Speaking further, the Health Secretary said “during the first 48 hours of an emergency, not a single dime would be asked from this particular individual. So, essentially, it’s a big plus for the health sector where a lot of delays would narrowed and where lives would be saved and disabilities are reduced maximally or even avoided”.
He also disclosed that the FCT Administration has already begun a dry run for the pilot phase of the Scheme and challenges and possible problems have been identified. “We are integrating these challenges as corrected in the next dry run before finally, we begin a real pilot involving real patients, into our hospitals” he said.
