Edo Agencies Move To Boost Emergency Response

The initiative emerged from an inter-agency meeting convened by the Edo State Healthcare Regulation and Monitoring Agency (EDOHERMA) and the Edo State Emergency Management Agency (EDOSEMA) in Benin City on October 13, 2026.

The Chief Executive Officer of EDOHERMA, Dr. Adesuwa Urhoghide-Edigin, said the state needed stronger emergency planning, safer healthcare facilities, strategically positioned ambulances and functional referral systems to minimise casualties during disasters.

She disclosed that the agency had developed a Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Response Manual for healthcare facilities, which would be circulated to stakeholders for review and contributions.

Urhoghide-Edigin said the state also needed appropriate policies to address gaps in emergency preparedness, ambulance operations, mass gathering safety and inter-agency coordination.

She called for advance notification of public events and risk assessments covering venue safety, expected attendance, emergency exits, security and medical support, stressing that preventing emergencies was as important as responding to them.

The executive secretary of EDOSEMA, Jerry Idahosa, said disaster management required collective action by government agencies, emergency responders and communities, adding that no single agency could effectively manage disasters alone.

He urged stakeholders to strengthen hazard mapping, public awareness campaigns, early-warning systems and preparedness activities across the state’s 18 local government areas.

Idahosa also stressed the need for organisers to notify emergency agencies ahead of public events to enable proper risk assessment and deployment of personnel and equipment.

He said the availability of ambulances alone was insufficient without adequate equipment and trained paramedics capable of providing immediate lifesaving interventions.

Similarly, the director-general of the Edo State Fire Service, Engr. Osayande Owens, called for greater emphasis on fire prevention, public sensitisation and coordinated rescue operations.

He said the Fire Service remained committed to responding to emergencies and commended EDOHERMA for its collaboration with the service on fire safety certification for healthcare facilities.

The Edo State Emergency Medical Services coordinator and EDOHERMA’s Director of Emergency Services highlighted the need for functional ambulances, trained personnel, timely patient evacuation and effective communication between emergency responders and receiving hospitals.

The EDOHERMA official also presented a referral-system template designed to improve coordination between healthcare facilities.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Red Cross Society’s Edo State coordinator, Ekhomogiazin Wilson, called for sustained engagement, volunteer training and stronger cooperation among humanitarian organisations and government agencies.

The managing director of the Edo State Traffic Management Agency, Engr. Stainless Ijegede, said accessible roads, effective traffic management, regular emergency drills and public enlightenment were necessary to reduce delays during emergencies.

At the end of the meeting, stakeholders agreed to appoint agency representatives for Edo South, Edo Central and Edo North and scheduled a follow-up meeting to advance plans for a coordinated emergency communication system.