A team of the Lagos State Ambulance Service, LASAMBUS, officials have delivered a 27-year-old stranded pregnant woman, Shukarat Isa, of a baby boy after she fell into labour around the Law School Bus Stop; along the popular Ozumba Mbadiwe Road, Victoria Island.
Speaking about the successful medical emergency response, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi; said “LASAMBUS received a distressed call of a pregnant woman in labour at 8.02am and promptly dispatched its closest response team to the venue of the incident. The team arrived at the scene, the Law School Bus stop, at 8:16 am, and quickly set parameters for the emergency response, helping the woman to deliver both the baby and the placenta”.
Abayomi further stated that the team cleaned up both baby and mother whilst observing basic medical emergency procedures on the spot before conveying them to the Ikate health centre for further management.
He said: “This is a typical case of an obstetric emergency which may arise at any time during pregnancy, labour and birth.
‘The Lagos State Government realizing the pivotal role of prompt emergency response including transport of pregnant women during critical obstetric emergency in preventing maternal and child deaths has continued to expand its ambulance services to offer prompt emergency service to residents.
“We are happy that our investment and effort in overhauling the Lagos State Ambulance Service is yielding the desired results. News such as this are cheering and heartwarming as it adds up to improve our health indices and showcase our resolve to provide efficient and equitable service delivery to Lagosians”.
Giving an account of the incident, the rescued woman said “I was on a bus to Orile from Awoyaya, I fell into labour in the course of the journey and a man sitting beside me called the emergency number and requested help. The vehicle had a stop at the Law School Bus Stop for some passengers to disembark and this was where the LASAMBUS officials caught up with the vehicle and assisted with the delivery which was already in process.
“The team also assisted in cleaning me and my baby up before transporting us to Ikate health centre at Elegushi. At Ikate health centre, the nurses stayed with us and assisted with my admission and baby immunization before leaving. I have since been discharged and my baby and I are doing quite well. I would like to appreciate the medical team for their response and care, it means a lot to me and my family”
The LASAMBUS team that was involved in the life saving emergency service include; Oyekanmi Ayomibo, an Assistant Chief Community Health Technician; Uthman Afolashade, Higher Community Health Technician and Yusuf Rahmon, the Ambulance pilot.