The Healthcare Federation of Nigeria (HFN) and the Health Emergency Initiative (HEI) have signed an agreement to establish a Medical Intervention Trust Fund (MITF) to support emergency medical response in the country.

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed in Lagos on Thursday, September 25, 2025.

The fund is expected to close gaps in Nigeria’s emergency system, such as poor post-crash response, high infant and maternal deaths, low insurance coverage, and the inability of many patients to pay for urgent treatment.

President of HFN, Njide Ndili, said too many Nigerians lose their lives daily because of delays in treatment and financial barriers.

She said, “Too many lives are lost every day due to delays in treatment and the inability to pay for emergency care. The Medical Intervention Trust Fund is a game changer because it creates a credible, transparent, and sustainable mechanism to finance emergency interventions when and where they are needed most.”

Ndili added that the initiative would bring all stakeholders together to strengthen the system.

“By bringing together the private sector, civil society, development partners, and government stakeholders, every Nigerian, regardless of socioeconomic status, can have the opportunity to receive timely and quality emergency care,” she said.

Executive Director of HEI, Paschal Achunine, said the trust fund would build on HEI’s existing work of helping indigent patients and accident victims.

He said, “Many Nigerians lose their lives not due to a lack of treatment, but because of delays in accessing emergency care. The MITF will build on a proven model of rapid financial intervention, one that has already saved thousands of lives, and will now be scaled to reach even more people in need.”

He added that beyond money, the fund would boost capacity in emergency response.

“We will train bystanders, first responders, and community members in Basic Life Support, First Aid, and Trauma Care. By empowering ordinary citizens alongside medical professionals, the MITF will create a nationwide safety net that makes emergency care faster, more effective, and more inclusive,” he said.

The organisers said the MITF would complement the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, which already sets aside 5 per cent for emergencies but suffers from delays in disbursement.

They noted that the new initiative would also support hospital infrastructure, integrate technology, and push for a Good Samaritan law to protect helpers of accident victims.

HFN and HEI said the trust fund would be operational within six months, with a call to stakeholders across the health sector to support the project so that no Nigerian is denied emergency care because of cost or delay.