Ogun State Government has distributed 22 Tricycle ambulances to Primary Health Centres (PHC) across the State, to aid referral and improve transportation for accessing maternal health services, particularly during emergencies.

Speaking at the event in Obas Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker noted that government had discovered that 70 percent of death of women during child birth, occurred as a result of lack of access to prompt intervention, saying introduction of the ambulances would put an end to such ugly occurrences in the future.

“We noticed in our mortality review that 70 percent of death that happened among our pregnant women, was as a result of lack of transportation from PHC to the general hospital when complications occur during child birth. To address this issue, Governor Dapo Abiodun took the innovative ideas of introducing Tricycle Ambulance to PHCs particularly in the rural areas experiencing difficulty in road access”, Coker said.

On his part, his counterpart in Budget and Planning, Mr. Olaolu Olabimtan who said that health is one of the three thematic areas of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), noted that the distribution of the ambulances was facilitated by the State government with the support of development partners on health, through the office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs.

Olabimtan added that the partnership would address challenges being faced in accessing maternal care involving primary and secondary health facilities, emphasising that it was the best possible solution to medical health emergencies especially in the rural areas.

In his remarks, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Afolabi Afuwape who described the initiative as a giant step to help tackle maternal mortality and morbidity rates in the State, urged health workers to use the ambulances for the purpose for which they were provided.

Contributing, the Commissioner for Finance and Chief Economic Adviser to the State Governor, Mr. Dapo Okubadejo said the event was to complement efforts of the present administration, aimed at providing qualitative health care for all the residents, appreciating the development partners, Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, Eco Bank, Nigeria and the Majekodunmi Foundation for their support.