A public health expert, Dr Gabriel Adakole says a fragmented and underdeveloped transport system contributes to the country’s alarming health inequalities, maternal mortality rates and delayed emergency response.
Speaking on Monday in Abuja, he that “transport system plays a pivotal role in shaping health outcomes in Nigeria, influencing everything from emergency response time to maternal mortality rates.
“The organisation and efficiency of the systems can either bridge or widen health disparities across the country.”
According to him, many Nigerians, especially those in rural and hard-to-reach communities, continue to suffer or die from preventable conditions due to their inability to access timely healthcare services.
He said “imagine a pregnant woman in a rural village going into labour at midnight, only to realise there’s no vehicle, no accessible road, and no means to reach the nearest health facility.
“These are not isolated incidents; they are the norm in several parts of the country.”
He, therefore, called for increased investment in rural transport infrastructure, better coordination of emergency medical transport and support for community-based interventions like motorbike ambulances and community-run referral systems.
“Programmes such as the Emergency Transport Scheme (ETS) have made significant impacts in parts of northern Nigeria.
“In states like Yobe and Katsina, such schemes have helped reduce maternal and newborn deaths by providing timely transportation to hospitals through locally trained drivers,” he said.
He urged government to scale such models and integrate them into broader health sector planning.
“You can build as many health centres as you want, but if people cannot get to them when it matters most, the facilities remain as good as useless,” he noted.
According to him, health policy advocates are now pushing for the integration of transportation into Nigeria’s primary healthcare revitalisation strategy and national health emergency preparedness plans.
He added that “World Bank estimates that over 60 per cent of Nigeria’s population live more than five kilometres from a functioning health facility, often separated by poor roads and no reliable means of transport.
“A resilient health system is not complete without a transport system that moves with it.”
NAN
