The Federal Capital Territory Administration has announced the appointment of Dr. Abdulateef Bello, as the substantive head of the Directorate of Road Traffic Services, DRTS.
Until his appointment, Bello was the Acting Director, FCTA Department of Security Services. He replaces Bodinga Wadata, who had served over five years as Director of the DRTS popularly referred to as Vehicle Inspection Office, VIO.
Though no reason was given for Bodinga’s replacement, the FCT Administration, in a statement, said the reshufflement will help strengthen the activities of the Directorate.
The statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the minister, Anthony Ogunlelye, also disclosed plans to begin full implementation of the National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System, NEMSAS, in the territory.
This was disclosed by the Secretary for the Health and Human Services Secretariat, Dr Abubakar Tafida following the presentation of a memo on the scheme to the FCT Executive Committee meeting held on Monday, 14th March, 2022, in Abuja.
Ogunlelye quoted the Secretary as saying, “As part of the National Health Act 2014, the Federal Government approved for 5 percent of the basic healthcare provision fund to be used for emergency medical and ambulance services and I’m happy to say that the Federal Capital Territory Executive Committee has approved the immediate implementation of the pilot scheme in the FCT as well as granting us the permission to engage a total of 66 personnel for this pilot programme.”
While shedding light on how residents of the FCT will benefit from NEMSAS, DR Tafida explained “Essentially, we are talking of a situation where if there is any injury or any ill health that is capable of risking the life of an individual or posing a permanent disability to the health of that individual, he or she is meant to be given prompt care at the point of the incident and then prompt transportation in an ambulance system to an emergency treatment centre in designated hospitals and treatment would be provided until such a person is stabilized for further treatment in that same hospital or transferred to a higher hospital where better care appropriate for that injury or ill health is provided.”
Speaking further, the Health Secretary said “during the first 48 hours of an emergency, not a single dime would be asked from this particular individual. So, essentially, it’s a big plus for the health sector where a lot of delays would be narrowed and where lives would be saved and disabilities are reduced maximally or even avoided.”
Already, he said the FCT Administration has begun a dry run for the pilot phase of the scheme and has identified challenges and possible problems. “We are integrating these challenges as corrected in the next dry run before finally, we begin a real pilot involving real patients, into our hospitals” he said.
