FG, Katsina Launch 15 Ambulances, 238 Tricycles to Strengthen Emergency Care

By Raymond Ken-Mbata

CHARANCHI, Katsina — The Federal Government and the Katsina State Government have launched 15 Advanced Life Support ambulances and 238 tricycle ambulances as part of efforts to improve emergency medical services across the state.

The intervention was launched in Charanchi on September 16, 2026, by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, and the Katsina State Governor, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda. The event also featured the commissioning of the General Hospital, Charanchi.

The Federal Government presented three additional ambulances to the state, bringing the total number of ambulances provided to 18.

Speaking at the event, Prof. Pate said the State Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System (SEMSAS) would help connect communities and local governments to appropriate healthcare facilities during emergencies.

He linked the intervention to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII), which is being implemented in collaboration with the states, the FCT and development partners.

Governor Radda said the 15 Advanced Life Support ambulances would provide emergency care and stabilisation for patients while they are being transported to health facilities. He added that the 238 tricycle ambulances would serve communities where access by conventional ambulances may be difficult.

He said the General Hospital, Charanchi, had been upgraded at a cost of N2.059 billion and equipped to provide diagnostic, medical, surgical, maternity and emergency services.

Governor Radda disclosed that the Charanchi facility was the fourth of six secondary healthcare facilities being established by his administration. He said the Funtua and Mai’adua General Hospitals were at advanced stages of completion and would be commissioned before the end of 2026.

He added that more than 280 Comprehensive and Primary Healthcare Centres had been renovated and revitalised, while 804 healthcare personnel had been recruited in the last three years. The state, he said, had also commenced postgraduate medical residency training in six departments and was working to provide solar power for hospitals.

The Executive Secretary of KATSEMSAS, Dr. Adamu Aminu Adamu, said the agency would use the new ambulance system to improve emergency response, patient transportation and referrals between communities and health facilities.

He said the expansion would also support pregnant women in labour and other emergency cases, particularly in communities where distance can delay access to care.

The latest intervention adds another layer to Katsina’s emergency healthcare system, combining Advanced Life Support ambulances for critical cases with tricycle ambulances designed to reach communities that may be difficult to access with conventional vehicles.