Government moves to improve emergency rescue operations, ambulance services

In a renewed effort to save more lives, the Federal Government has commenced fresh moves to improve rescue operations, especially the provisions of ambulance services.

As part of efforts in this regard, the Federal Ministry of Health and the Federal Fire Service of Nigeria have reached a new agreement to jointly provide efficient emergency rescue operation services in the Country.

The pact would see both parties working together to provide quick emergency response and harmonise areas of overlapping.

Minister of State Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire and the Controller –General, Federal Fire Service of Nigeria, Joseph Garba Annebi announced the new deal at a meeting in Abuja, on Tuesday.

Ehanire said the provision of emergency services was the responsibilities of many departments and agencies of government including the Federal Fire Service of Nigeria.

“Federal Fire Service plays two major roles in emergency response. First is to control and investigate fire incidence and second to provide rescue services before taken the victims to the hospital.

“It is because of these two main functions that we need to have close collaboration between the fire service and Federal Ministry of Health and other agencies responsible for rescue operations,” the Minister noted.

He explained further: “Some departments or agencies have ambulances, some provide first aid treatment. We want to pool all our resources together and deploy them in such a way that we can work efficiently and cover the whole country.