The Federal Government has upgraded the Riyom General Hospital in Plateau State to a National Trauma Centre and deployed 15 ambulances to strengthen emergency medical services across the state.
The development, launched under the National Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System (NEMSAS), is aimed at improving timely access to emergency healthcare, particularly for victims of road crashes, trauma cases and women experiencing maternal emergencies.
Under the new arrangement, the Riyom General Hospital will operate as an outpost of the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), providing a strategic link between emergency patients in the area and specialised tertiary healthcare services.
The 15 ambulances deployed to the state comprise five conventional emergency ambulance buses and 10 tricycle ambulances, specifically designed to improve access to rural and hard-to-reach communities.
Speaking at the launch, Plateau State Governor, Barr. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, represented by the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Josephine Piyo, described the intervention as a major investment in saving lives and strengthening the state’s emergency healthcare system.
The Governor noted that the state had earlier procured five ambulances under the Plateau State Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System (PLASEMSAS), stressing the importance of collaboration between the state and federal governments in ensuring that residents receive emergency medical attention when they need it most.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Kachollom Daju, who represented the Minister of Health, Muhammad Patel, announced the upgrade of the Riyom facility to a National Trauma Centre.
Daju commended the Plateau State Government for ceding the facility to support the Federal Government’s emergency medical services initiative.
She said the intervention was driven by the principle that “distance should not determine whether a life is saved,” particularly in emergencies where every minute can make the difference between life and death.
The initiative is expected to strengthen emergency response and referral systems across Plateau State, with the tricycle ambulances providing a critical solution for communities where conventional ambulances may face difficulties due to terrain or poor road accessibility.
The upgrade of the Riyom General Hospital and deployment of the ambulances are therefore expected to enhance the state’s capacity to respond rapidly to medical emergencies and ultimately reduce preventable deaths associated with delayed access to emergency care.
