The federal government of Nigeria through the ministry of health is planning to establish an emergency response outfit “to take care of emergency cases to reduce preventable deaths caused by abject poverty, to the barest minimum”.
To achieve this, Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire has called on the World Bank to support the establishment of an effective medical emergency transportation network in rural communities across Nigeria, in order to ameliorate the challenges of transporting emergency cases to hospitals on time.
The Minister made this appeal in Abuja, when he received the World Bank team on mission for the Multi-phased Programmatic Approach(MPA):Improved Child Survival for Human Capital, Nigeria State Health Investment Project (NSHIP) and Polio.
“There is need for collaboration and partnership to ensure the realization and sustainability of this type of project, as it will go a long way in reducing the number of lives lost on daily basis, especially in rural areas,” the Minister emphasized.
To this end, Ehanire informed that a committee would be set up to work-out the modalities of establishing the project.
He commended World Bank for achievements recorded in delivering quality health care services in Nigeria while urging them to do more to ensure the elimination and control of diseases in the country.
“As a team, we need to scale up various intervention programmes to make up for the country’s backwardness in delivering quality health care services to the citizenry
“Nigeria is in a hurry, if you are far behind, you have to run. Nigeria wants to run,”
The Minister assured the team of the readiness of the government to do everything within its power to ensure that collaborations and partnerships are maintained for effective result- oriented health care service delivery.
He however, warned against duplication of programmes, in order to achieve the best benefit.
Speaking earlier, the leader of the Team, Dr. Wole Odutolu, intimated the Minister with the progress report on World Bank projects (Health) in Nigeria.
He also congratulated the Federal government on achieving three years Polio-Free Status.