The Management of Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH), Irrua, Edo State is proud to announce its official readiness to launch the National Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System (NEMSAS), a major milestone in public health and emergency response for the people of Edo State and Nigeria at large.
On January 23, 2025, a high-powered delegation from the Federal Ministry of Health, led by Dr. Saidu Ahmed, conducted an official accreditation visit to ISTH. The team inspected critical emergency care infrastructure including the Intensive Care Unit, expanded Accident & Emergency (A&E) complex, emergency theatres, and the ambulance station. Following this thorough assessment, the team gave a strong endorsement of ISTH’s readiness to operate as a NEMSAS-participating hospital.
In February 2025, the hospital inaugurated a dedicated NEMSAS Implementation Committee composed of professionals across key units—medical doctors, nurses, ICT experts, administrative officers, ambulance drivers, and audit staff. Their role: to coordinate standards, workflows, personnel training, and community engagement needed to ensure a smooth rollout.
To further strengthen operational readiness, the committee’s chairman visited the NEMSAS Secretariat in Abuja from March 25–27 for hands-on training on the use of the national dispatch platform, pre-hospital care protocols, ambulance service workflows, and data capture/reporting systems. This step marked ISTH’s firm integration into the national network of emergency medical service providers.
NEMSAS will cover a wide range of emergency cases, including:
- 🚗 Road traffic accidents
- 🩸 Gunshot injuries
- 🐍 Snake bites
- 👶 Pediatric emergencies
- 🤰 Obstetric and gynecological emergencies
The core mission of NEMSAS is to deliver prompt, professional, and FREE emergency medical services to Nigerians. Patients brought in by NEMSAS-accredited ambulances will receive free care for the first 48 hours, thanks to funding from the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) under the National Health Act.
ISTH has also provided dedicated emergency contact lines available 24/7:
📞 09163086802
📞 09036692674
With this groundbreaking initiative, ISTH is not only enhancing its emergency response capabilities but also deepening its commitment to saving lives and delivering top-tier healthcare across Esanland and beyond.