The Federal Ministry of Health has urged Kebbi State Government to key into the National Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System to curb the rate of maternal and infant mortality in the state.

The National Programme Manager, NEMSAS, Dr Sa’idu Ahmed-Dumbulwa, made the plea during a meeting with stakeholders in the state’s health sector in Birnin Kebbi.

NEMSAS is a programme introduced by the federal government where patients under the scheme will enjoy free medical services for the first 48 hours with a view to saving lives of Nigerians.

Mr Ahmed-Dumbulwa explained that the team was in Kebbi to meet, deliberate with stakeholders and also assess the state’s health facilities preparatory for the state to key into the emergency medical ambulance services.

He said, “The essence of the visit is to create demand in terms of access to medical emergency and maternal transport in the country and also sustain the momentum of the federal government in cushioning the poor indices of maternal and infant mortality in the country. Time before now, women and children are dying, and it’s observed that the only way out is by addressing the missing link. That missing link is the provision of medical emergency and ambulance services in the country, specifically with focus to acoustic emergency and paediatric emergency. We came to this state and made the good people of the state, first to assess and onboard them into both the NEMSAS and rural medical emergency services and maternal transport in the state.”

He appreciated what he described as real commitment shown by the state government and some key stakeholders in both the public and the private sectors.

The manager added that the team was able to have robust and constructive discussions on the way forward with the stakeholders.

He said, “What is key here is, it’s not only the public sector that is committed, we have seen the private sector also committed, the tertiary hospitals, the likes of the teaching hospitals also demonstrated their own commitment. Together we will tackle the menace and change the narrative of maternal mortality rate in the state. This is a very good development and we are very happy to work with the state and also in line with the coordinating minister’s mandate of crushing the maternal and newborn mortality in the country and that is going to be sustainable. The minister said CS is going to be free for everyone and the maternal transport also is going to be free for every pregnant woman.’’

On his part, Director, Medical Services, Dr Jibril Labbo-Gwandu, who also stood in for the state commissioner for health, expressed satisfaction with presentation, discussion and deliberation with the NEMSAS team.

He assured that the stakeholders had learnt a lot from the delegation on how the state would go about the emergency medical ambulance services and subsequently extend it to rural levels.

Mr Labbo-Gwandu said based on the explanation given, “we are going to start the programme in phases. We have all the necessary support from our governor, Dr Nasir Idris.

The governor was the one who gave the commissioner and the permanent secretary matching order that we have to join the programme in view of its critical importance to the state and in reduction of maternal and child mortality.”

Describing the visit as fruitful, Mr Labbo-Gwandu thanked members of the team and assured them that the state was ready to key into the programme.

The team inspected facilities at the Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State Teaching Hospital, Kalgo, and Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital, Birnin Kebbi. 

(NAN)