Djibouti launches emergency medical service
The new SAMU aims to bring hospital care to patients when emergencies demand it.
Djibouti has launched a new emergency medical service, SAMU, following a week of training with Hospices civils de Lyon. The service will operate with medical regulation, mobile teams, and adapted transport, focusing on permanence, resilience to disasters, and territorial equity.
Health Minister Mouna Osman Aden, who led the launch ceremony, stated the ambition is to "bring the hospital to the patient when the emergency demands it." The initiative involves the University Hospital, the National Social Security Fund, and the Military Hospital, which presented its mass casualty preparedness plan.
The SAMU's operational framework includes three commitments: constant availability, resilience in the face of catastrophes, and equitable access across the country. Minister Aden emphasized that "no Djiboutian should be less protected because they live far from a hospital."
Why it mattersDjiboutians, especially those living far from hospitals, will receive more equitable emergency medical care.