Health
THE Asagba of Asaba, Prof. Epiphany Azinge, on Thursday, officially received the first ambulance, under the Free Ambulance Service initiative of his palace to support emergency response by public health institutions.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event marked the commencement of the rollout of at least five ambulances within the next two months.
The initiative, which was launched in June, was designed to provide rapid, free emergency medical transportation for residents in critical conditions.
Azinge said the delivery of the first ambulance represented a key milestone in the phased deployment of the service across Asaba.
He explained that the initiative was aimed at reducing delays in emergency response and improving survival chances during life-threatening situations.
He expressed the optimism that more ambulances would in subsequent phases to strengthen coverage across the community.
He also disclosed that dedicated emergency phone lines would be provided to enable residents access the service at any time.
According to him, the ambulances will transport patients free of charge to hospitals of their choice during emergencies.
The traditional ruler expressed the confidence that the initiative would significantly improve emergency response time and save lives.
He also said that the initiative formed part of a broader community healthcare agenda, including a proposed community health insurance scheme.
He said that plans were also underway for a specialist community hospital to complement existing public health facilities and primary health centres.
Azinge further disclosed that a Drug Rehabilitation Centre was being developed to support treatment and recovery for substance abuse cases.
He recalled previous community interventions, including the deployment of medical corps personnel to understaffed health centres.
“This is in addition to the donation of dialysis machines, worth about N200 million, to the Federal Medical Centre and Asaba Specialist Hospital,” he said.
The traditional ruler emphasised that communities must play active role in the development process rather than rely solely on government’s interventions.
He commended prominent indigenes of Asaba for their continued financial and moral support for healthcare and other community projects.
He also appealed to non-governmental organisations, financial institutions, clubs, associations, and Asaba indigenes at home and in the diaspora to support the initiative. (NAN)
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Tags: Ambulance Asaba