The management of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH), Awka, Anambra State, has introduced an Emergency Care Pack (ECP) initiative aimed at reducing delays in providing initial treatment to patients brought to the hospital in critical condition.
The hospital’s Chief Medical Director, Maureen Umeakuewulu, announced the initiative in a statement issued on Monday, explaining that the packs would ensure that essential medical supplies are readily available when emergency patients arrive.
According to Umeakuewulu, the initiative is designed to address situations where patients require urgent attention but their relatives have yet to provide the medical consumables needed for initial treatment.
She explained that making essential supplies available before the completion of patient registration and folder-opening procedures would enable healthcare workers to commence appropriate care promptly.
“The ECP is designed to reduce delays that may occur when patients arrive in critical condition, and their families are yet to provide essential medical consumables needed for initial treatment,” she said.
Umeakuewulu added that the initiative would allow medical personnel to begin necessary interventions while relatives make arrangements for other requirements, helping to reduce the pressure families experience during medical emergencies.
She disclosed that the packs contain selected medical consumables, drugs and intravenous fluids, including five per cent dextrose, lancets and glucometer strips, depending on the clinical needs of patients presenting with maternal, adult and paediatric emergencies.
The Chief Medical Director described the initiative as a practical intervention that recognises the urgency of emergency situations and the anxiety experienced by families when loved ones are rushed to the hospital.
She said the measure reflects the hospital management’s commitment to placing patients’ immediate needs at the centre of healthcare delivery and finding practical ways to improve emergency response.
Umeakuewulu further linked the initiative to the broader healthcare development agenda of Anambra State Governor, Charles Soludo, which she said prioritises improved healthcare services and people-centred development.
She added that the Emergency Care Pack initiative aligns with the long-term aspirations of Anambra Vision 2070, which identifies a healthy population as essential to sustainable development and an improved quality of life.
Written by Enitan Mudashiru
