The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, on Thursday handed over 12 bee ambulances to FCT hospitals in Abuja to strengthen emergency healthcare services.
Wike said the initiative demonstrates that the FCT Administration is not only focused on road infrastructure and education but is also addressing critical sectors such as healthcare.
“So many people ask why we concentrate on roads or education. But without good roads, ambulances cannot function effectively during emergencies. First things first—that is what we have been able to achieve,” he said.
The minister added that the administration is in the process of rehabilitating and furnishing 14 health centres and has directed the FCT Head of Civil Service and the chairman to employ additional personnel for the health sector.
“For us, we will do everything possible to give our people the best,” Wike said.
Earlier, Dr Olalodipo Fasawe, Mandate Secretary of the FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat, said the procurement and distribution of the ambulances marks a major milestone in improving emergency healthcare delivery in the FCT.
According to Fasawe, the initiative goes beyond providing ambulances, reflecting the administration’s commitment to people-centered governance, emergency preparedness, and improved health outcomes for all residents.
She highlighted the link between road infrastructure and healthcare, noting that strategic investments in roads across the city have reduced travel times to hospitals. “For example, in areas like Abaji, Kwali, and Gwagwalada, the A2 to Pai road construction has cut a journey that used to take one and a half hours to about 30 minutes,” she said.
Fasawe added that the administration understands health systems as encompassing not only infrastructure and buildings but also immunization, insurance, and human resources.
“It is heartwarming that this administration has paid allowances due since 2021, including 13 months’ hazard allowance for healthcare workers, wage awards, and the medical residency training fund. FCT is the only state that has paid all these allowances to date,” she said.
She further noted interventions such as the upgrade of the FCT School of Nursing to a full-fledged College of Nursing, describing them as part of a deliberate and coordinated effort to deliver accessible, high-quality healthcare for residents of the FCT.
