The Gombe State Government has unveiled the State Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance Scheme (SEMSAS), aimed at providing residents with up to 48 hours of free medical treatment for all emergency cases.
The initiative, inaugurated in Gombe by the Commissioner for Health, Dr Habu Dahiru, is part of efforts to strengthen emergency healthcare delivery and ensure that no resident is denied urgent medical attention due to financial constraints.
Dr Dahiru explained that Gombe SEMSAS was integrated into the National Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance Scheme, NEMSAS, in 2024, adding that the state has since recorded significant progress in emergency care coordination.
He also revealed that the government was implementing the Rural Emergency Services and Maternal Transport, RESMAT, initiative, which will provide free transport for pregnant women in rural communities to the nearest healthcare facilities.
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The Project Coordinator of SEMSAS, Dr Suraj Kwami, announced that while the State’s Emergency Hotline “112” was being finalised, residents could report emergencies through the GoHealth 24/7 Call Centre, which will coordinate calls and dispatch response teams.
Dr Kwami further urged emergency drivers and personnel to maintain the highest standards of professionalism and to use official vehicles strictly for service delivery.
Community leaders and stakeholders in the health sector at the event commended Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya for what they described as a landmark initiative that would bridge the gap between emergency response and hospital care, particularly for rural and low-income communities.