Knowing where to go during medical emergency — by Okolo Oteri

As a GENERAL RULE a PUBLIC TERTIARY HOSPITAL is your best bet.

The Teaching Hospitals, the Federal Medical Centres.
They are generally more equipped than a private facility and have 24/7 emergency/trauma services.

They are MORE LIKELY to have ALL the resources for care in an EMERGENCY situation. The important factors to note are:

1. They are more likely to have all the manpower required especially where MULTISPECIALTY interventions are required. So all expertise under one roof.
2. They are more likely to have in stock rare and difficult to store medications, vaccines, blood and other consumables with the right storage conditions and supply chains.
3. They are more likely to have the shortest response time despite the misinformation being peddled around to serve some certain interests.
4. If movement to another facility is required, they are more likely to have the right ambulances and the right manpower to move you SAFELY to the RIGHT facility for you to access the RIGHT care for your emergency.

In an emergency, your priority is to stay alive until you get the right care.

What NOT TO DO

1. Do NOT consult neighbors for medical interventions. They are NOT doctors. Go straight to the HOSPITAL.
2. Do NOT avoid the tertiary hospitals until last. In an emergency time is the critical factor. You might still die if you do not give the system the opportunity to respond.
3. Do not bother with churches, traditional healers or any soer of spiritual interventions. They are not reliable and often impotent. The people who run these places for health interventions go to the hospital when they need help.
4. Water is not medication, Do NOT bother pouring it over yourself or anyone in an emergency.

For those in Abuja, the following are the PUBLIC TERTIARY HOSPITALS

1. Federal Medical Centre Jabi
2. National Hospital
3. University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwala

You can consult Google maps to find out the nearest to you per time and the quickest to get to. In an EMERGENCY, TIME is the important CURRENCY you CANNOT afford to squander. Let all those around you know this. You might not be conscious or aware enough to make decisions in an emergency.

Emergency number 112 in case you need to call.

NOTE what I have NOT said. I have NOT said you shouldn’t go to a private hospital for health needs please.

–Okolo is a medical doctor and National Coordinator of National Public Eye Health at the Federal Ministry of Health