Ebonyi flags-off  EBSEMSAS to avert maternal mortality, under 5 death 

By Uchenna Okeh, Abakaliki

In a bid to activate the state Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System,  Ebonyi state government has distributed 16 ambulances to all general hospitals in the state and the emergency response team.

Flagging-off the project in Abakaliki,  Commissioner for  Health, Moses Ekuma described it as another milestone in the state health sector and that  the essence of the program is to help revive patients at the point of death, thereby, combating maternal and under 5 death, road traffic accident and snake bites. 

Ekuma noted that the ministry has tackled the challenges of manpower, basic medical equipment, establishment of drug agency to provide drugs to general hospitals and PHCs, including enrollment of civil servants in state health insurance by the government. 

He said emergency goes with  oxygen, stressing that the commonest cause of death in emergency cases is respiratory failure. The state has three oxygen producing plants, one in each political zone. This is to have easy access to oxygen.

The Commissioner officially  flagged-off the EBSEMSAS and stated that the program is fully activated to avert maternal mortality and prevent death in the state and reduce it to berrest minimum.

He equally urged the doctors to use the opportunity to offer quality care to their patients. 

The Coordinator,  the state Emergency Medical service and ambulance system, Eugene Abah Chinwendu Precious said that the official flag off of the State emergency medical services and ambulance system aimed to  curtail maternal mortality and under-5 mortality, cover road traffic accidents, and snake bite, among others. 

Precious disclosed that in an emergency situation, 112 should be called .Following this,  an ambulance will be mobilized to pick up the patient and drop to an accredited hospital for management. 

The coordinator emphasized that the patient is treated free in the first 48 hours. 

Also in the program, oxygen cylinders and pulse oximeters were also distributed to general hospitals and Primary Health Centres. 

In her goodwill message from the field,  a representative of the Officers in charge of the Primary Health Centres, Mrs Ngozi Azubuike said the system will address the issue of maternal mortality and promised that they will utilize the equipment and will not let the state down. 

The main highlight of the event is the commissioning of ambulances for emergency medical service and ambulance system.