The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office has called for improved emergency response systems in Nigeria to enhance community health outcomes, particularly at the primary healthcare level.
Dr Ebere Anyachukwu, Health Adviser at the FCDO, made the call on Tuesday in Abuja at the 14th Ministerial Oversight Committee (MOC) meeting for the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), convened by the Federal Ministry of Health.
Anyachukwu said that while progress has been recorded in expanding access to healthcare services, delays in emergency response, especially ambulance services, continue to undermine patient outcomes, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
He stressed the need to reduce response times from distress calls to the arrival of emergency services, noting that timely intervention is critical to saving lives.
“Some patients can access emergency providers within their communities, but response times vary significantly across locations. This gap must be addressed to ensure equitable access to life-saving services,” he said.
According to him, strengthening community-based care systems must go hand-in-hand with efficient emergency referral mechanisms, including functional ambulance services and well-coordinated communication channels.
Anyachukwu also highlighted the importance of improved coordination across different levels of healthcare delivery.
He called for clearer role definition between primary healthcare systems and higher levels of care, noting that effective alignment would enhance service delivery and reduce duplication of efforts.
On communication, he identified inconsistent engagement with communities as a major challenge, saying that visibility and trust are essential to improving healthcare utilisation.
“People respond better to systems they understand and can see working. Consistent and clear communication is key to building that trust,” he said.
The FCDO adviser further emphasised the need for a national roadmap to scale up successful community-based health interventions, noting that expanding such initiatives would drive political will and stakeholder commitment.
He said that while current interventions are yielding results, they remain limited in scope and require deliberate efforts to achieve nationwide impact.
Anyachukwu reaffirmed the FCDO’s commitment to supporting Nigeria in strengthening its health system through strategic partnerships, technical assistance, and investment in sustainable healthcare models.
He added that improving emergency response systems would play a crucial role in reducing preventable deaths and achieving better health outcomes across the country.
The Chairman of the National Emergency Medical Treatment Committee, Prof. Ismail Jibrin, also called for improved ambulance services, faster response times, and stronger coordination across facilities to enhance emergency care delivery nationwide.
Jibrin acknowledged the growing need for agile and community-focused systems, noting that current ambulance infrastructure remains inadequate.
He observed that many ambulances across the country are either obsolete or unable to function optimally due to rising maintenance costs.
“While we still have remnants of ageing ambulances that are not able to perform effectively, initiatives such as the NEMSAS ambulance platform are helping to save lives and expand access to emergency services at the community level,” he said.
The NEMTC chairman added that beyond emergency response, the platform also provides opportunities for improved maintenance systems and better service delivery models.
On response time assessment, he explained that a nationwide survey was conducted using health facilities to evaluate emergency toll-free numbers and ambulance performance.
He said the survey tracked accessibility of emergency numbers, recorded response success rates, and measured ambulance transit times to incident locations and referral facilities.
“The findings from the survey are being reviewed with procurement professionals to address systemic challenges, particularly those related to equipment and logistics.
“Procurement remains a key issue, especially in ensuring that ambulances and related services meet operational standards,” Jibrin said.
He also highlighted the importance of referral systems, describing them as critical transport mechanisms designed to reduce delays between primary, secondary, and tertiary care levels.
He pointed out the need for stronger compliance with cost and service guidelines, particularly in federal tertiary health facilities, where gaps in quality and reporting have been identified.
“There is a need for improved oversight and adherence to established guidelines to ensure quality service delivery across facilities,” he said.
Addressing infrastructure challenges, Jibrin said issues such as poor road networks and limited telecommunications connectivity continue to hinder effective emergency response.
“These factors are largely outside the direct control of the health sector but significantly affect service delivery,” he said.
He, however, disclosed ongoing engagements with the Nigerian Communications Commission and mobile network operators to explore solutions for improving connectivity.
“We need NCC to engage in the conversation around improving communication, which is the main pillar for EMS,” he said.
Jibrin further revealed that plans are underway to deploy more reliable and less congested communication infrastructure through partnerships with specialised network providers.
He said adopting new technologies and strengthening infrastructure would be critical to improving emergency medical services in the country.
