The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has organised a technical workshop to develop emergency victims protocol for the State.
The Technical Workshop on the Development of Emergency Victim’s Protocol was held on Thursday in Lagos. The workshop has the theme: “Improving Emergency Response by Health Facilities/Emergency Systems: Development of Emergency Preparedness and Response Protocol.”
Speaking at the event, Mr Sesan Ogundeko, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-governmental Relations, commended LASEMA for being proactive in emergency management in the state.
Ogundeko commended LASEMA for its giant achievement in the management of emergency in the state.
“They have been very responsive and well positioned to handle emergency in the shortest possible time. LASEMA is one of the agencies that have clearly shown that the government cares for the lives and property of Lagos residents.
“They have a leader that is competent and very responsive in the discharge of his duties,” Ogundeko said.
He noted that one of the challenges facing LASEMA was the slowness of residents to give way to the agency during emergency operations.
In his opening speech at the event, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the Permanent Secretary, LASEMA, said the development of emergency victims protocol marks another day of firsts in the annals of the health sector history in the state.
Oke-Osanyintolu said the protocol was a crucial aspect of medical emergency that would raise the bar of efficiency in emergency management.
“This move has great potential to save countless lives in the state. LASEMA in collaboration with the Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA), will work together to develop and implement emergency preparedness and response protocols for healthcare facilities across the state.
“Our world is facing an increase in both natural and man-made disasters, from pandemics to extreme weather events, and these crises demand swift and effective healthcare responses.
“In view of this, focus has shifted from emergency/disaster management globally, to disaster risk reduction, with emphasis on preparedness, not just reaction.
“While primary responsibilities of states must widen with increasing emphasis on identification of the new forms of disasters, their closure and capture through active collaboration of all of society and engagement all of state institutions,” Oke-Osanyintolu said.
According to him, LASEMA is responsible for the overall co-ordination of emergency management in Lagos state, working closely with all it’s stakeholders, including NGO’s.
He noted that its partners were categorised into primary, secondary and tertiary responders in management of all emergency and disaster situations in the State.
Going down memory lane, he said that Pre-Hospital Care was approved for LASEMA in 2020.
“This function is being carried out by it’s technical partner in close collaboration with the Lagos State Ambulance Services (LASAMBUS).
”Despite efforts of the paramedics to save lives during emergencies, atimes, these efforts are thwarted either through a waste of time in getting available bed spaces in hospitals or difficulty in receiving timely definitive care at the hospital.
“The Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency has the mandate to ensure health facilities across the state provide quality health care facilities.
“In the case of emergency services, there is need for the services to not only be optimal but timely.
“Although it is recognised that several factors contribute to the timely care of an emergency victim, the vital contribution of the hospital/clinic to which the victim is eventually transferred to cannot be overemphasised.
“Therefore, governments and health agencies must work together to mitigate disaster risks with an approach that will not only emphasise “Preparedness”, but must involve every level of society, especially healthcare monitoring institutions.
“These must work to establish protocols for healthcare facilities to ensure prompt and efficient responses to emergencies.
“In line with these trends, LASEMA in collaboration with HEFAMAA, is proposing to work with public and private health care providers in Lagos State.
“To develop and implement emergency preparedness and response guidelines/protocols as a means to achieve prompt hospital care for emergency victims in the state,” Oke-Osanyintolu said.
He said that the objective of the workshop was to articulate the emergency preparedness and response protocol for health care facilities in Lagos state, thus building the capacity of health facilities in emergency response.
He said the protocol would be comprehensive, detailing strategies for effective emergency response.
He listed the strategies as development of facility-specific plans that ensure continuity of operations during emergencies and creation of a systematic approach to resource allocation for hospitals and clinics.
Oke-Osanyintolu said that improving emergency response protocols in healthcare was more than a logistical challenge, adding that it was a moral imperative.
“With climate change and global health threats increasing the frequency and scale of emergencies, our healthcare facilities must be prepared, resilient, and responsive.
“Let us work together to implement these protocols, protect our communities, and ensure that our healthcare facilities stand ready to serve in times of need,” Oke-Osanyintolu added.
