Delta Moves to Unlock Emergency Health Funds, Strengthen Ambulance Services

The Delta State Government has intensified efforts to resolve funding and administrative challenges affecting emergency medical transportation and treatment as part of measures to strengthen the state’s emergency healthcare system.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Onojaeme, disclosed this on Wednesday at a stakeholders’ meeting on the State Emergency Medical and Ambulance Services held in Asaba, the Delta State capital.

The meeting focused on delays affecting the payment of claims for emergency transportation and the initial 48-hour treatment provided to patients under the Emergency Medical Treatment Gateway of the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF).

Represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Gloria Patrick-Ferife, the commissioner said funds had been approved for Delta State by the Federal Ministry of Health under the BHCPF.

He, however, explained that administrative procedures, logistics surrounding access to the funds and the submission and processing of claims had slowed down the expected release of resources following verification by the national team.

Onojaeme stressed that resolving the bottlenecks was critical to sustaining emergency medical services across Delta State, noting that states that had successfully accessed the funds had used the resources to strengthen emergency care and reduce the financial burden on their governments.

Delta seeks faster access to emergency healthcare funds

The commissioner said Delta could not afford to allow bureaucratic and operational challenges to undermine a funding mechanism designed to ensure that patients receive timely emergency treatment.

“Our goal is to ensure that our hospitals and other participating health facilities are appropriately supported through both the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund and the resources provided by the State Government, thereby strengthening the delivery of timely and quality emergency care to our people.”

According to him, the stakeholders’ meeting was organised to move beyond identifying the challenges and develop practical solutions for unlocking the state’s approved funds, settling outstanding obligations and improving emergency medical and ambulance services.

He urged participants to approach the discussions with a strong sense of responsibility, stressing that the objective was not simply to secure funding but to ensure that available resources translated into an efficient emergency response system.

Ambulance service ‘here to stay’ — Ezeachi

Speaking at the meeting, the State Chairman of the Emergency Medical Treatment Committee (SEMTC), Dr. Val Ezeachi, said the ambulance service had come to stay and urged medical directors across the state to take ownership of the initiative.

Ezeachi said the emergency ambulance arrangement covers both public and private hospitals, stressing that hospital managers must ensure that the service is effectively deployed to provide prompt, life-saving care.

He called on medical directors to take full responsibility for integrating the ambulance service into their emergency response operations.

Delta reviews emergency response system

The stakeholders’ meeting brought together key players in Delta State’s emergency healthcare system to examine funding, administrative and operational challenges affecting emergency medical services.

Those in attendance included the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Chief Medical Directors of central hospitals across the state, representatives of Oghara Teaching Hospital, Zonal Medical Directors from Sapele, Warri, Agbor and Ughelli, as well as officials from Asaba Specialist Hospital and other health facilities.

The discussions are expected to strengthen coordination among hospitals, emergency medical service providers and relevant government agencies while improving access to emergency transportation and treatment for residents.

The state government’s renewed focus on the funding mechanism comes as part of broader efforts to ensure that residents who require urgent medical attention can receive timely care without financial and administrative delays undermining the emergency response system.