Nigeria is set to boost its emergency medical response capabilities with the acquisition of an emergency care helicopter as part of a new integrated national air ambulance system.

The Federal Government has commenced negotiations with Airbus, a European aerospace firm, to procure the helicopter, which will enhance rapid medical response and emergency care delivery nationwide.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, disclosed this during a working visit to France, following approval by President Bola Tinubu.

The proposed system will integrate ambulance services, emergency communication, and aeromedical evacuation into a unified national framework to reduce preventable deaths.

This initiative is part of broader health sector reforms under the current administration, aiming to improve medical evacuation services, particularly in hard-to-reach areas, and enhance coordination between ground and air emergency response systems.