The federal government has commenced negotiations with a European aerospace firm, Airbus, to procure emergency care helicopters for Nigeria’s proposed National Medical Emergency Management System (NEMSAS).

The coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, disclosed this during a working visit to France, following approval by President Bola Tinubu.

Mr Pate, in a statement issued on Monday by the NEMSAS office, said discussions with Airbus executives were focused on developing an Integrated National Ground-to-Air Health Emergency Management System to strengthen rapid response and emergency care delivery nationwide.

He added that the initiative was expected to improve medical evacuation services, particularly in hard-to-reach areas, and enhance coordination between ground and air emergency response systems across Nigeria.

On the sidelines of the meeting, the minister inspected an Airbus emergency care helicopter at a French government-supported air ambulance facility in Lyon.

Mr Pate said that the proposed system would integrate ambulance services, emergency communication, and aeromedical evacuation into a unified national framework to reduce preventable deaths.

He said the Federal Government was committed to strengthening emergency preparedness and response as part of broader health sector reforms under the current administration.

Nigeria has long faced challenges in emergency medical response, including inadequate ambulance services, poor coordination, and delayed referrals between health facilities.

These gaps have contributed to avoidable deaths from road traffic accidents, maternal emergencies, and other critical health conditions requiring timely intervention.

However, in recent years, stakeholders have called for the establishment of a coordinated national emergency medical system, including air ambulance services, to bridge access gaps, especially in rural and underserved communities. 

(NAN)