The Federal Government has presented an advanced ambulance to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin, to strengthen emergency response, trauma care and timely evacuation of critically injured patients.
The ambulance was formally handed over to the hospital in Benin on Monday by Edo Deputy Governor, Dr Dennis Idahosa, on behalf of the Federal Government.
Speaking at the ceremony, Idahosa expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for the intervention and Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, for facilitating the ambulance.
He said the intervention formed part of efforts to strengthen emergency medical services and equip healthcare institutions with modern ambulances capable of providing critical care during patient transportation.
Idahosa said the initiative was pursued while he served as Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Healthcare Services, following discussions on improving emergency response across healthcare facilities.
He said Pate subsequently approved the intervention and directed that one of the ambulances be handed over to UBTH to enhance its emergency and trauma response capacity.
“The Minister instructed and insisted that I should be the one to hand over this ambulance to UBTH,” he said, describing the intervention as timely.
Idahosa said the ambulance would improve the evacuation and early management of accident and trauma victims, enabling patients to receive critical attention before reaching the hospital for further treatment.
He expressed appreciation to the management of UBTH for the quality healthcare provided to his late mother before her death, describing the hospital as an important institution.
The deputy governor said the state and Federal Government would continue supporting efforts to strengthen infrastructure and upgrade facilities at UBTH, particularly its ageing infrastructure requiring sustained investment.
The Chief Medical Director of UBTH, Prof. Idia Ize-Iyamu, described the ambulance as a “walking theatre”, saying it would enable medical interventions to begin while trauma victims were being transported.
She said the ambulance would be stationed at the hospital’s Accident and Emergency Unit and deployed to evacuate accident and trauma victims from incident locations to UBTH.
According to her, healthcare workers would be able to provide vital interventions inside the ambulance before patients arrived at the hospital, potentially improving outcomes for critically injured victims.
Ize-Iyamu said UBTH received trauma and other emergency cases from Edo and other parts of the country, making the ambulance an important addition to its emergency response capacity.
She commended the Federal Government for the intervention, saying the ambulance would significantly strengthen emergency response, patient evacuation and the hospital’s capacity to manage critical cases.
The CMD said the oncology centre at UBTH was fully operational and equipped with modern technology, including a linear accelerator (LINAC) and a 16-slice CT scanner.
She said the Cancer Health Fund was helping to make cancer treatment more affordable for indigent patients receiving care at the hospital.
Idahosa and Ize-Iyamu also took a ride in the ambulance, while UBTH Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, Dr Emmanuel Osaigbovo, explained its features and demonstrated its emergency functions.
They subsequently inspected the hospital’s Accident and Emergency, oncology, investigation and geriatric units, as well as the cancer centre, assessing ongoing services and infrastructure.
They also inspected other UBTH projects and interacted with patients and healthcare personnel during the visit, reinforcing the importance of improved infrastructure and quality patient-centred care.
