Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, has initiated talks with European aerospace giant Airbus for the procurement of emergency care helicopters as part of efforts to establish a national medical emergency management system.
The move, approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is aimed at developing an integrated ground-to-air emergency response framework to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare delivery, particularly in critical and life-threatening situations.
Pate, who is currently in France, held discussions with Airbus executives on the modalities for deploying advanced air ambulance services across the country under what is being described as a new Integrated National Ground-to-Air Health Emergency Management System.
On the sidelines of the engagements, the minister visited a French government-supported air ambulance facility in Lyon, where he inspected an Airbus emergency care helicopter and assessed its capabilities for rapid medical intervention.
Speaking during the visit, Pate outlined the Federal Government’s plan to significantly upgrade Nigeria’s emergency medical infrastructure, noting that the introduction of specialised helicopters would improve response times, especially in hard-to-reach areas.
The initiative is expected to form a critical component of broader healthcare reforms under the Tinubu administration, targeting improved access to emergency care and a reduction in preventable deaths nationwide.
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