December 20, 2025, was black Saturday for Nneka Akudo (not her full title), who was concerned in a automotive accident with a hit-and-run driver on the Ogba bus cease in Lagos State at about 9 pm.
The motive force sped off, leaving the sufferer mendacity unconscious by the roadside with none emergency well being response.
Fortunately for her, Udeson JohnFrancis, a involved fellow who witnessed the incident, supplied to assist the sufferer, as he rushed her to Chygor-Cole Specialist hospital someplace in Abulegba, the place she was resuscitated and operated upon. That singular, well timed response saved Nneka’s life.
With rising street accidents on Nigerian roads, victims continuously wait lengthy intervals for an ambulance or assist to return as a result of dangerous roads, site visitors congestion, and different components, resulting in deaths that occur after influence and never immediately.
Many see this as a spot in each Nigeria’s transport and well being sectors, as accidents resulting in deaths of victims that would have been prevented, as a result of poor street circumstances, velocity violations, and premature response to essential incidents.
“I couldn’t spend Christmas with my household due to a choice I took to assist this accident sufferer. She was knocked down by a hit-and-run driver, left unconscious by the roadside, bleeding on her brow for hours till I bought to the scene,” JohnFrancis shared with BusinessDay.
“I needed to name the Lagos ambulance companies, who got here all the best way from Victoria Island, earlier than we rushed her to the hospital, the place she was operated upon and is at present recovering,” he defined.
Learn additionally: Road accidents surge by 9.4% in Q2 2025
Regardless of struggling a number of facial lacerations and immobility of the higher left, in line with hospital experiences, Nneka was lucky to no less than make it out alive based mostly on a well timed healthcare response, because of the nice samaritan.
Nevertheless, the case was not the identical for Joseph Cane (not his actual title), who was concerned in a deadly automotive accident and rushed to a normal hospital at Ile Epo, Lagos State, by an eyewitness.
He, nonetheless, couldn’t make it as there was no emergency response crew on the bottom to assist the sufferer on the hospital on the time of the incident.
“There have been no emergency response crew on floor to assist the sufferer. I used to be requested to go get some medical provides whereas the sufferer battled for his life,” an eyewitness shared with this reporter.
“By the point I returned, Cane had handed on. I haven’t recovered from the trauma since then,” the supply added.
These incidents spotlight the significance of well timed emergency healthcare responses in saving lives.
Emmanuel Oziuwa-John, chief government of Salvus Emergency, highlighted the poor state of emergency healthcare responses in public hospitals throughout the nation.
“I can let you know for a indisputable fact that, based mostly on the info we now have, majority of public hospitals within the nation lack environment friendly and well-equipped emergency healthcare response companies,” he acknowledged.
“I’ve witnessed firsthand how this response works effectively within the UK and different international locations. In emergency care, each minute counts,” he added.
In response to experiences, international locations in Africa comparable to Ethiopia, South Africa, Rwanda, Kenya, and Namibia have already got efficient emergency financing mechanisms, sturdy political will, and investments in these programs in case of any accident or catastrophe.
Efficient emergency response may also be seen in different international locations like Australia, Japan, the UK, Canada, Germany, and the Netherlands, amongst others. Their emergency companies, together with the ambulance system, infrastructure constructed, and extremely skilled personnel, are thought-about among the many greatest on the earth, with technologically superior gear and fast response capabilities.
A current report titled ‘Bridging the Hole Between Coverage and Follow in Nigeria’s Emergency Response System’ confirmed that Nigeria’s well being system shouldn’t be constructed to deal with emergencies.
The report acknowledged that in the case of diseases with a predictable course, there’s often sufficient time and area for remedy, however when a sudden emergency happens, whether or not a street accident, a stab wound, or a gunshot from an armed theft, the result is usually not care, however dying.
Folake Owodunni, CEO, Emergency Response Africa, instructed BusinessDay that dangerous roads make it more durable and slower for emergency autos to achieve folks, saying, “If the roads are filled with potholes, muddy, or flooded, our drivers have to maneuver fastidiously or discover one other method. This takes extra time and may be harmful for the affected person, particularly in severe instances like bleeding, childbirth, or coronary heart issues.”
Owodunni urged the federal government to supply extra responders within the communities, with autos that may deal with tough roads, a superb mobile community so folks can name for assist simply, and assist from authorities and personal companions to assist construct stronger programs for emergency care in these areas.
The report additionally urged the federal government to develop an emergency response system, saying, “In emergencies, the essence of life is time. Whereas transporting victims to the hospital for correct remedy is nice, it’s now necessary to have medical personnel attend to emergencies on the web site of the casualty.
