Ogun employs ambulance services to reduce matenal deaths in Nigeria

AMBULANCE services have an important role to play in reducing maternal mortality in Nigeria, especially in the area of transferring women with complications in pregnancy to receive medical care particularly on heart attacks, asthma, sickle cell crisis and other medical emergencies, say experts at the official launch of the re-branded state ambulance services and global action on decade of road safety in Ogun State.The experts held that the launch of the ambulance is the beginning of major reduction in the incidence of preventable deaths from emergencies in the state, adding that it is a small picture of emergency services in the state.According to Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, who was represented by his deputy, Prince Segun Adesegun, the state Ministry of Health is particular in the area of promotion, preventive care, rehabilitation and surveillance, using the primary health care approach on course.'In 2010, it's worthy to note that out of the 4,065 deaths and 18, 095 injuries recorded in 5, 330 road accidents in Nigeria, 649 deaths, 1, 533 injuries and 1, 980 accidents occurred in Ogun State. This translates into 18 per cent of fatalities, 8 per cent injuries and 37 per cent of road accident respectively. In 2011, 722 people died and another 1, 696 injured in 1, 975 accidents in the State, accounting for 16 percent of fatalities and 41.5 per cent road accidents nationwide,' he said.He noted that global action on the increasing devastation of road traffic accidents culminated in the first Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety held in Moscow in November, 2009 and consequent declaration of 2010 to 2020 as a decade of action for road safety by United Nation (UN) General Assembly in March 2010.The Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Olaokun Soyinka, who spoke on the medical benefits of the newly launched ambulances, said though the health service role in emergencies is to save lives through rapid response and provision of appropriate care, the priority of the ministry of health is preventive.He stated that the ambulance will be manned by a crew of trained personnel and paramedics, who have undergone extensive specialist training and, which will form the minimum benchmark for all the crews in the future.He noted that communications system has been put in place to enable rapid response to all emergencies. 'We have fleet controllers to call at all times, seven days per week, who will be in contact with all ambulances, accident and emergency centres. We are collaborating with Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on emergency number, 122, for the residents in Ogun state.''This collaboration will enable the paramedics, FRSC, Police, Red cross, state-owned hospitals, private enterprises like critical Rescue International and others to join in the prevention of emergencies arising from road crashes,' he said.
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