By Hussaini Ibrahim Sulaiman
Women and children under five in Kano State are now gaining wider access to free emergency medical services under a federal government initiative designed to reduce maternal and child mortality across Nigeria.
The National Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System (NEMSAS) on Tuesday conducted a sensitization exercise in Warawa Local Government Area, Kano, aimed at raising awareness about the Rural Emergency Service and Maternal Transportation programme and other free emergency care services available to residents.
The NEMSAS initiative was launched by the Federal Government to provide rapid, no‑cost emergency medical response and transportation for vulnerable groups, particularly pregnant women and sick children under five.
As part of broader health reforms, the programme has been expanded to cover more states, with emergency medical structures now supported in more than 30 states, enabling residents to access free care by dialing the national emergency number.
Salihu Abubakar, Programme Accountant of NEMSAS, explained that the Kano sensitization ensures women understand how to use the service, which can make the difference between life and death in urgent health situations.
“Once a call is made, a vehicle will be dispatched to the beneficiary’s location and transport them to a hospital at no cost. There is no need for money; the service is completely free,” Abubakar said.
Under the Rural Emergency Service and Maternal Transportation aspect of NEMSAS, pregnant women in rural and hard‑to‑reach communities can request emergency transport, and children under five with severe illness are also eligible for free conveyance to health facilities. The programme aims to tackle delays in reaching critical care, which is a major contributor to Nigeria’s maternal and under‑five mortality rates.
Dr. Sheriff Yahaya Musa, Kano State Coordinator of NEMSAS, said the sensitization was part of efforts to assess and improve knowledge of the programme among potential beneficiaries.
“We are implementing the programme at the state level. Today’s visit is to assess beneficiaries’ knowledge of the programme, and we chose Warawa Local Government Area for this exercise,” he stated.
Officials of NEMSAS said the emergency system has grown significantly, with recent reports showing that the agency transported thousands of pregnant women and newborns from remote areas to healthcare facilities as part of efforts to strengthen emergency medical care nationwide.
A beneficiary, Aisha Isyaku Abdullahi from Warawa, shared her personal experience with the service.
“During my labour, I contacted the emergency number through my neighbour. The ambulance arrived quickly, and I was taken to the hospital. Within less than 30 minutes, I gave birth to a healthy baby boy. The service is completely free, and no charges were collected from me,” she said.
Officials emphasised that the programme is part of broader national efforts to reduce preventable deaths and improve healthcare accessibility for vulnerable populations in urban and rural areas.
The sensitization exercise also highlighted the importance of community engagement, with NEMSAS encouraging families to share information about the programme so that no eligible woman or child is left without access to emergency medical care.
