President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday unveiled 79 locally assembled advanced ambulances for tertiary hospitals across Nigeria as part of efforts to enhance emergency healthcare services and reduce preventable deaths nationwide.
The ambulances, commissioned in Lagos by the Chief Medical Director of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Professor Wasiu Lanre Adeyemo, on behalf of the President, will be distributed to federal tertiary health institutions under the National Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System (NEMSAS).
The initiative is one of the programmes marking the third anniversary of the Tinubu administration and is designed to boost emergency response capabilities across the country.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Adeyemo said the deployment demonstrates the Federal Government’s commitment to developing a more efficient and coordinated emergency healthcare system under the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He stated that the ambulances would greatly enhance the speed and effectiveness of emergency medical interventions, especially in life-threatening situations where delays in accessing care often result in avoidable fatalities.
“These ambulances will improve the movement of patients from homes, schools, markets, highways and other locations to hospitals where they can receive timely medical attention. This will significantly reduce avoidable deaths and complications arising from delayed access to care.”
Adeyemo described the ambulances as Advanced Life Support units fitted with modern medical and communication technology capable of notifying hospitals before patients arrive, allowing healthcare workers to prepare in advance.
According to him, the vehicles were fully assembled in Nigeria, including the installation of emergency medical equipment, reflecting the nation’s increasing capacity in local manufacturing and healthcare innovation.
“These ambulances are a testament to Nigeria’s ability to produce world-class emergency response vehicles locally. Beyond improving emergency healthcare delivery, this initiative will stimulate local manufacturing, create employment opportunities and strengthen confidence in indigenous capacity,” he stated.
He also revealed that the ambulances are powered by dual-fuel technology, enabling them to run on both Premium Motor Spirit and Compressed Natural Gas, in line with the administration’s energy diversification and sustainability objectives.
Adeyemo noted that the initiative complements ongoing reforms in the health sector being driven by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, particularly programmes focused on strengthening emergency care services and widening access to quality healthcare.
He said enhancing emergency transportation systems is just as important as improving hospital facilities in efforts to reduce mortality rates nationwide.
“Healthcare facilities must be accessible when emergencies occur. Efficient emergency transportation is essential to saving lives,” he added.
The LUTH CMD further encouraged state governments, local councils and private organisations to take advantage of Nigeria’s expanding local production capabilities to meet future emergency medical transportation demands.
The Federal Government said the nationwide deployment of the ambulances would reinforce referral networks, improve access to lifesaving medical services and support ongoing reforms aimed at reducing illness and death across the country.
