A Badagry resident, Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria, Muhammad Armayau, has commended the Lagos State emergency response team for its swift intervention in saving the life of his seven-month-old daughter during a medical emergency.
Armayau told journalists on Monday that his daughter became critically ill in the early hours of the morning during a heavy downpour, leaving the family without transportation to the hospital.
He said the family found relief after calling the Lagos State Government’s toll-free emergency line, 112.
“My seven-month-old daughter developed a high fever after battling an elevated temperature for two days. When the thermometer read 38.5°C, panic set in. With heavy rain falling and no means of transportation, my wife and I tried to bring the fever down by gently wiping her with a wet towel while waiting for the rain to subside,” he said.
According to Armayau, he called the emergency line at about 4:07 a.m. He explained the situation to an emergency response officer, who immediately requested his address and a nearby landmark after hearing the baby crying in the background.
“About 20 minutes later, the Lagos Emergency Response Call Centre called back to inform me that an ambulance had already been dispatched. Because it was still dark, the officer discussed the best way for the ambulance crew to locate us.
“By 5:07 am, the rain had eased, and another call informed me that the ambulance was waiting at Checkpoint Bus Stop. We quickly rode on a motorcycle to the location, where the ambulance team was already waiting.
“After assessing my baby’s condition, the medical personnel recommended taking her to General Hospital, Badagry, since the Primary Health Centre at Ilepo, which is closest to us, does not operate 24 hours,” he said.
Armayau explained that the ambulance could not reach his residence because the Ibiye-Checkpoint-Magbon Road had become impassable following the heavy rainfall.
He described the response as exceptional, noting that the ambulance travelled about 24 kilometres from General Hospital in Badagry to attend to the emergency.
At the hospital, he said his daughter received immediate medical attention.
“I paid ₦2,000 to open a new patient file, ₦8,000 for laboratory tests, including a Full Blood Count and malaria test, and about ₦4,000 for prescribed medications. If our Lagos State Health Insurance coverage had still been active, the total cost would have been just ₦1,400,” he said.
He added that apart from those payments, there were no consultation or ambulance charges, describing the experience as evidence of taxpayer-funded public services delivering value to residents.
Armayau also praised the cleanliness of General Hospital, Badagry, and the professionalism of its healthcare workers.
While applauding the emergency response and healthcare services, he appealed to the Lagos State Government to rehabilitate the Ibiye-Checkpoint-Magbon Road, recruit more doctors for General Hospital, Badagry, upgrade the Ilepo Primary Health Centre to a 24-hour facility, improve electricity supply in the area, and implement a unified electronic medical records system across government hospitals.
He also acknowledged ongoing infrastructure projects in Badagry, including road rehabilitation around the General Hospital, noting that improved roads are critical to faster emergency response and the preservation of lives.
Describing the experience as comparable to emergency services in developed countries, Armayau expressed gratitude to the Lagos State Emergency Response Team and frontline health workers for their dedication and commitment to saving lives.
Source: Tribune
