The Federal Government has called for concerted efforts to strengthen emergency and critical care services and build a resilient, equitable and responsive system to advance Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and ensure access to quality healthcare services across the country.

The Minister of State for Health, Dr Adekunle Salako, made the call at the 11th Annual Scientific Conference and General Meeting of the Intensive and Critical Care Society of Nigeria (I-CCSN), themed “Sustainable Financing for Intensive Care in Public Hospitals in Nigeria.” He noted that sustainable financing remains one of the greatest challenges confronting the development of intensive and critical care services, particularly in public healthcare institutions.

Salako observed that critical illness does not discriminate, as it can arise suddenly from trauma, severe infections, maternal and neonatal complications, surgical emergencies, cardiovascular diseases, neurological conditions, respiratory failure, complications arising from non-communicable diseases, epidemics and other public health emergencies.

He argued that building a sustainable critical care system requires deliberate investment in the healthcare workforce, noting that Nigeria needs more physicians trained in intensive and critical care, critical care nurses, physiotherapists, pharmacists, biomedical engineers, technicians and other members of the multidisciplinary team.

Salako highlighted the need to expand specialist education, fellowship opportunities, continuous professional development and strategic partnerships with national and international institutions.

The minister noted that when critical illness occurs, the availability, accessibility and quality of intensive care services can determine the difference between life and death, recovery and permanent disability.

“Intensive care is inherently resource-intensive. It requires purpose-built infrastructure, adequate bed capacity, highly trained multidisciplinary healthcare professionals, reliable medical oxygen systems, mechanical ventilators, patient monitoring systems, essential medicines and consumables, diagnostic services, biomedical engineering support, uninterrupted utilities, and effective systems of clinical governance and quality assurance,” he said.

Salako stated that the conference theme draws attention to one of the most critical issues in strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system, ensuring that every Nigerian who becomes critically ill has timely access to appropriate, high-quality and life-saving care without exposing patients and their families to catastrophic financial hardship.

He observed that for many Nigerian families, the cost of critical illness can be devastating, adding that excessive dependence on out-of-pocket spending delays access to care, interrupts treatment and exposes households to severe financial hardship.

The minister stressed that no Nigerian family should be forced to choose between financial ruin and access to life-saving healthcare. He said the country must develop sustainable financing mechanisms for public hospitals, improve financial protection for patients and ensure that access to critical care is determined by clinical need rather than the ability to pay.

“In line with the theme of this conference, isolated interventions are unrealistic. This calls for collaboration and synergy. The National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System (NEMSAS) represents an important component of efforts to improve access to emergency healthcare.

NEMSAS has expanded from a pilot programme in the FCT to 34 states, with ongoing efforts towards nationwide operationalisation. A digital emergency dispatch system that will link callers, ambulances and emergency treatment centres is currently being developed to support real-time response, patient tracking, referrals and claims management,” he said.

Salako noted that ongoing interventions aimed at strengthening maternal and newborn care, expanding healthcare financing and improving service delivery demonstrate the Federal Government’s commitment to reducing preventable deaths and improving health outcomes.

He said these efforts require a coordinated approach that integrates emergency care, ambulance and retrieval services, intensive care units (ICUs), high dependency units (HDUs), operating theatres, medical oxygen systems, diagnostic services, health insurance, workforce development and rehabilitation services.

The minister insisted that medical oxygen must remain a national priority, stressing that the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the indispensable role of reliable oxygen systems in saving lives.

He added that the Federal Government has responded by prioritising the installation of oxygen pressure swing adsorption (PSA) plants in many health facilities across the country.

“We must also strengthen referral and retrieval systems so that critically ill patients can be identified early, appropriately stabilised and safely transferred to facilities capable of providing the level of care they require. The development of regional critical care networks will contribute significantly to reducing geographical inequalities in access to life-saving services. Digital health, tele-critical care and stronger health information systems are added advantages,” he said.

According to him, sustained collaboration among the Federal Government, state governments, healthcare institutions, professional bodies, academic and research institutions, the private sector, development partners and civil society organisations is essential to strengthening critical care services.

The minister commended the Intensive and Critical Care Society of Nigeria for its contributions to the development of critical care services in the country, noting that professional societies have an important responsibility to support government through technical expertise, policy development, professional education, research, advocacy and the establishment of standards that promote quality care and patient safety.