An Emergency Tele-Hailing Initiative Is Helping Lagos Residents Reach Ambulances in Eight Minutes or Less
Image credit: Nigeria Health Watch
Tzar Oluigbo (Lead Writer)
It was a few minutes after 1am, when the city of Lagos, in southern Nigeria, should have been asleep, Raji Rafiu, head of the control centre at Eight Medical, saw a call come through on the emergency line.
It was a distress call from a family doctor whose patient was having a stroke. Both doctor and patient had their fingers crossed because it was the darkest hour of the morning, and emergency response in Nigeria was often a game of chance. However, the doctor remained optimistic about their services.
The control centre played an important role, gathering essential information from callers and preparing the ambulance team for what lay ahead. Rafiu explained that “when I receive a call, I not only prepare our team but also establish contact with the patient and the receiving facility, letting them know an ambulance is coming and keeping them updated on our estimated arrival time. This cycle ensures that patients receive timely and effective care, making a critical difference in emergency outcomes”.
Image credit: Nigeria Health Watch
Folake Babalola, the patient who was experiencing the stroke, stated that “I wasn’t so sure how much damage would be done before I get help, and I didn’t think they would get to me in time. The response time was amazing, and the care was exceptional.”
A race against time
Healthcare access in emergencies remains a significant challenge in Nigeria, with ambulance response times often delayed by traffic congestion and other broader systemic issues. In lower-middle-income countries, 54% of deaths result from conditions that could be treated with emergency medical care.
The lack of a well-functioning emergency medical service in Nigeria remains a critical gap contributing to nearly half of all deaths each year, including maternal, neonatal, and infant deaths, as well as deaths and injuries resulting from road traffic accidents.
To tackle this, Eight Medical uses technology and real-time communication to connect users in need, with emergency medical help in 10 minutes or less, ensuring faster, more reliable rapid responses.
Nigeria’s 911
Dr. Ibukun Tunde-Oni, the initiative’s founder, had once found himself in an unimaginable predicament. After a severe road accident in 2021 he laid in agony, waiting for help with death staring him in the face.
Three long hours had elapsed before an ambulance finally arrived. This experience gave birth to Eight Medical in 2021 as Dr Tunde decided to turn his pain into a product.
The name was coined from the WHO guidelines that states emergency response time should not be more than eight minutes.
Eight Medical is more than just an emergency response service, it’s a team of first responders with 45 workers at the control centre and over 400 on the field, this consists of paramedics, nurses, and doctors with over 25 ambulances. For many, the sight of the ambulances represents a lifeline for those in their most vulnerable moments.
Daniel Oluwashola, one of Eight Medical’s a first responders, shares some part of his work. “We had a case of carbon monoxide poisoning where the victim called while trapped in her car. We got there in less than 10 minutes, stabilised and nebulised the patient, gave some medications, and transported her to the hospital and the patient was saved.”
However, he noted that semi-urban areas and slums are harder to access. “There are area boys and touts. Sometime last year in Mushin, the ambulance was stopped and robbed, so insecurity also impedes upon the effectiveness of our service delivery,” he said.
Nwankwo Nkem, a nurse at Eight Medical, noted that “time plays an important role in critical cases and having to [attend to] a patient in such a short time makes us stand out. We have a mobile intensive ambulance. It’s like a mini-intensive care unit. Whatever we can do in the clinic, we can equally do it there till we get to the hospital.”
According to Tunde-Oni, they have received over 15,000 calls and saved 8,000 lives with an average response time of 10 minutes.
“The most effective way to reach us is through our active call centre line open 24hours and through WhatsApp through which we dispatch the appropriate resources needed. For private emergencies, we charge like uber, based on kilometre and time in addition to a base fare; how far it is and the duration it takes to get there. Our average charge for a transport fare is 60,000 and the caller or patient pays for it based on the request, but we respond to public emergencies for free.” Raji says.
Image credit: Nigeria Health Watch
Nigeria’s evolving emergency response landscape
In May 2023, the 76th World Health Assembly resolved that emergency, critical and operative care services are an integral part of a comprehensive national primary health care approach and foundational for health systems to effectively address emergencies.
In February 2022, the Federal Ministry of Health in Nigeria launched the National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System (NEMSAS), a pilot project to enable states to implement emergency medical support nationwide and provide urgent health services to Nigerians in distress, with no cost at the point of care and within the first 48 hours.
In October 2024, a N12.9 billion allocation through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund was approved for four major agencies including NEMSAS and Lagos established a World Bank-backed Rural Emergency Service and Maternal Transportation program (RESMAT) programme, which addresses maternal and infant mortality using community-based transport systems.
The inclusion of NEMSAS in the ₦12.9 billion 2024 BHCPF disbursement is a positive sign, it means, for the first time in a while, emergency care has a defined slice of federal health funding. However, the real impact depends on whether those funds are released, efficiently utilised, and sustained.
“Care Now, Pay Later”
In Nigeria, financial barriers often complicate emergency care. Many patients find themselves in situations where they cannot afford immediate treatment, which can delay necessary medical attention.
Eight Medical has implemented innovative solutions like the “Care Now, Pay Later” (CNPL) programme, particularly for corporate clients. This allows patients to receive urgent care without needing to pay upfront, thus eliminating financial constraints in critical moments.
The dispatcher also plays a crucial role in assessing the financial situation of patients. Raji Rafiu explains that “we ascertain which hospital is nearest and most appropriate for the patient’s condition. If financial constraints limit their options to government facilities, we do our best to ensure they receive the care they need.”
“We at Eight Medical also commit to providing pro bono services for critical emergencies, such as fire incidents, road accidents, drownings, and building collapses. These efforts, including building partnerships with health insurance companies like LASHMA, will ensure that even the most vulnerable can access emergency care without worrying about costs,” Tunde-Oni added.
Lagos currently operates two emergency response lines — 767 and 112 — as part of efforts to improve access to urgent medical assistance. These numbers connect residents to ambulance services and emergency coordination centres. However, for emergency care in Nigeria to truly become effective and sustainable, there is a growing need to strengthen public-private partnerships (PPP) in the sector.
