The National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System (NEMSAS) has called for stronger inter-agency collaboration to improve emergency response, pre-hospital care, patient referral systems and integrated emergency healthcare delivery nationwide.

The National Programme Manager of NEMSAS, Dr Doubra Emuren, made the call in Abuja during a high-level engagement involving NEMSAS officials, the management of the National Hospital Abuja (NHA), the Federal Capital Territory Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System (FCT-EMSAS), the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and representatives of major health facilities.

Speaking at the meeting, which focused on resolving long-standing challenges related to claims reimbursement, Emuren said funding for emergency care is provided through the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) under the National Health Act, with particular attention to poor and vulnerable Nigerians.

He explained that vulnerable patients are entitled to free emergency treatment for the first 48 hours at designated facilities, including the National Hospital Abuja and the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Jabi, while ambulance services can be accessed at no cost through the 112 emergency numbers.

“For the first 48 hours, vulnerable patients can walk into the National Hospital Abuja or FMC Jabi and receive emergency treatment free of charge. Ambulance services can also be accessed at no cost through the 112 emergency numbers,” he said.

Emuren noted that vulnerable persons include unconscious patients, unidentified victims and individuals brought in by members of the public, adding that NEMSAS serves as an assured payer for accredited health facilities providing emergency care.

Addressing persistent delays in claims reimbursement, he announced the rollout of a digital claims management system, developed with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, to replace the manual process that has been prone to errors and fraudulent claims.

Under the new system, claims will be submitted monthly, digitally verified and paid by the second week of the following month. Emuren said the platform would enhance transparency, accountability and efficiency across participating hospitals and states.

He further disclosed that the National Hospital Abuja would serve as a major emergency response training hub for frontline responders, expressing optimism that the initiative, part of a broader reform agenda, would strengthen emergency care delivery and reduce preventable deaths from accidents, trauma and life-threatening emergencies.

Emuren stressed that effective emergency healthcare delivery is a shared responsibility between the federal and state governments, urging states to establish functional emergency call centres to support nationwide coverage.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC) and Director of Clinical Services at the National Hospital Abuja, Dr Isiaka Lawal, said the initiative would deepen collaboration among NEMSAS, FCT emergency services, FRSC and the hospital’s emergency units, leading to improved outcomes.

Lawal acknowledged that although the hospital has handled numerous emergency cases under the NEMSAS framework, delays in claims reimbursement had strained its limited resources. He said assurances of faster payment timelines would help sustain the programme.

“We have received assurances at the highest level that claims will be paid within the shortest possible time. This is critical for sustainability,” he said.

On access to care, Lawal said Nigerians should expect improved emergency response nationwide, emphasising that emergency victims brought to hospitals would receive care within the first 48 hours, regardless of their ability to pay.

The meeting also reviewed the composition and functions of Hospital Emergency Medical Treatment Committees, ambulance tariffs and national standards for emergency care delivery, as part of efforts to fully integrate the National Hospital Abuja into Nigeria’s emergency medical response framework.