Somalia launches toll-free hotline for emergency medical services

[Deeq A.]

Somali Red Crescent Society (SRCS) has launched a toll-free hotline (446) in Somalia to provide emergency medical services to the people in Mogadishu.

The new number will enable people in need of emergency medical services to call a 24-hour toll-free number to seek first aid and transport services from the charity.

“The ambulance service is free, and it is led by SRCS volunteers. The goal is saving lives. It’s part of the humanitarian work of the SRCS,” Nur Abdikarim Ali, first aid focal point at the SRCS Mogadishu branch, said in a statement on Sunday.

“The number connects the community to the first aid emergency responders — the first-aid caregivers, the dispatcher and the team leader,” Ali added.

The new number aims to enhance the quality and efficiency of emergency services in Mogadishu.

During emergencies, the charity said, readiness and swift response to care for the wounded and sick often make the difference between life and death.

The SRCS said its first aid team is on standby to assist people and their community with first aid and ambulance services 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The charity said the first aid team this year adjusted their working methods to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protect its members from the virus.

“Information is requested from patients to find out if they have any COVID-19 symptoms, so any suspected cases can be transported safely to the hospital,” said the charity.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) together with the SRCS has responded to a total of 170 emergency incidents in the country this year.

According to the charity, more than 400 people have benefited from first aid training in communities.

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