Upskilling those First in an Emergency

Emergency Response Africa is a health tech company that delivers fast, reliable emergency medical services. In Nigeria, more than 200,000 people die from road accidents, cardiovascular diseases, and pregnancy complications, just three of the top causes of emergencies. Most Nigerians admit to having experienced or witnessed a medical emergency where a good response was lacking. “ERA is building the largest network of First Responders, emergency vehicle s and vetted emergency-ready hospitals to make sure that when someone needs help, a trained responder can be on the scene in minutes to start treatment. In an environment where 92% of people take themselves to the hospital because they don’t trust that an ambulance will arrive on time if they call, having a reliable service to provide prompt treatment at the scene and transfer to the right hospital is critical,” Owodunni said. ERA launched a pilot in Lagos in March 2021 and has since addressed nearly 300 emergency requests, achieving response times as low as 9 minutes. “In a place like Lagos, traffic is a huge problem for everyone. What sets us apart is our focus on building a robust network of partners and using technology to improve speed.”  Since launching, ERA’s network has grown to include 45 first responders, 65 ambulances and 15 hospital partners, with representation in multiple states. “We get several calls a day from individuals needing urgent help or patient transfers between hospitals. We are proud of the partnerships we have built including with other health tech companies and health insurers, and we are seeing a lot of interest from corporates in industries like logistics, energy, construction.SOURCE: DISRUPT AFRICA