How Lagos emergency responders saved my 7-month-old daughter — Father

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

A Lagos resident, Muhammad Armayau, has commended the state’s emergency responders for their swift intervention that saved his seven-month-old daughter who fell critically ill during a heavy downpour.

Armayau, a resident of Badagry area of the state, told journalists on Monday that his daughter developed a high fever in the middle of the night, leaving the family stranded as there was no vehicle available to take her to the hospital.

He said the family got relief after calling the Lagos State emergency toll-free line, 112.

According to him, the child had battled elevated temperature for two days before the situation worsened.

“My seven-month-old daughter developed a high fever after battling an elevated temperature for two days. When the thermometer read 38.5°C, panic set in. With heavy rain falling and no means of transportation, my wife and I tried to bring the fever down by gently wiping the baby with a wet towel while waiting for the rain to subside,” he said.

Armayau said he called 112 at about 4:07 a.m., adding that an emergency response officer immediately requested his address and a nearby landmark after hearing the baby crying in the background.

He said about 20 minutes later, the Lagos Emergency Response Call Centre called back to confirm that an ambulance had been dispatched and discussed with him how the crew could locate the family due to the darkness.

He added that by 5:07 a.m., after the rain subsided, another call informed him that the ambulance was waiting at Checkpoint Bus Stop, where the family later met the medical team.

After assessing the baby’s condition, he said the medical personnel recommended that she be taken to General Hospital, Badagry, because the family’s nearest Primary Health Centre at Ilepo does not operate round the clock.

Armayau explained that the ambulance could not access his residence because the Ibiye–Checkpoint–Magbon road had become difficult to navigate following the heavy rainfall.

He described the response as remarkable, noting that the ambulance travelled about 24 kilometres from General Hospital, Badagry, to attend to the emergency.

At the hospital, he said the baby received immediate treatment, adding that he paid ₦2,000 to open a patient file, ₦8,000 for laboratory tests, including a Full Blood Count and malaria test, and about ₦4,000 for prescribed medication.

He noted that if his Lagos State Health Insurance Scheme coverage had remained active, the total cost would have been about ₦1,400.

Apart from those payments, Armayau said there were no consultation or ambulance charges, describing the experience as an example of public services delivering value to residents.

He also praised the cleanliness of General Hospital, Badagry, and the commitment of healthcare workers on duty.

However, he appealed to the Lagos State Government to rehabilitate the Ibiye–Checkpoint–Magbon road, employ more doctors at General Hospital, Badagry, upgrade Ilepo Primary Health Centre into a 24-hour facility, improve electricity supply in the area and develop a unified electronic medical records system across government hospitals.

Armayau also acknowledged ongoing infrastructure projects in Badagry, including road rehabilitation and improvements around the General Hospital, saying better roads would enhance emergency response and save lives.

Describing the experience as one he had previously associated with developed countries, he expressed gratitude to the Lagos State Emergency Response Team and frontline health workers for their dedication to saving lives.

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