Health: Enugu Govt. urges residents to use ESMERT

By Stanley Nwanosike

The Enugu State Government has urged residents and passers-by to the state to patronise the services of the state Medical Emergency Response Team [ESMERT] in emergency medical situations.

“We want people to use our hotlines: 08091111162 to reach us on time for any sort of medical emergency, be it accident or sudden sickness,’’ the Director of Operation of ESMERT, Mr Eric Ozoude, said.

Ozoude made the call while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria [NAN] on Tuesday in Enugu.

He noted that the response time for ESMERT emergency team is between seven minutes and 10 minutes anywhere in Enugu metropolis and its environs.

He said that ESMERT was already in alliance with some hospitals both public and private in the state where ESMERT ambulances could take victims of emergencies to.

The director said that ESMERT was already collaborating with FRSC, NEMA, Police, Red Cross, Enugu SEMA among others, in the state.

“We collaborate with these agencies and act as first responder services in any emergency situation, especially in Enugu metropolis and its environs.

“We also have emergency-friendly hospitals that assist ESMERT medical operations by attending to victims of emergency,’’ he said.

According to him, previously the state government deposits N100, 000 each in the ESMERT friendly hospitals in each year. However, the deposit has not been coming for few years now.

“However, for accident victims within roads in Enugu and its environs, the state government usually writes off the bills at the end of the day,’’ he said.