Overview
In response to a mass casualty incident in a remote location in Nigeria, International SOS provided medical support and assistance to its client, an industry leader in building materials. As their privileged medical partner since 2014, we offer on-site medical services, including setting up and managing a fully staffed site clinic, occupational health services, and medical evacuation management through a tailor-made medical emergency response plan.
Problem
When a road accident occurred involving a bus transporting our clients’ employees, 13 people were injured. This included two patients who sustained serious injuries. The accident occurred in a remote area, with no public medical emergency services available and limited healthcare capabilities. The injured needed to receive prompt emergency medical care.
Solution
Following the accident, the International SOS site clinic was immediately contacted, and the client’s dedicated medical emergency response plan was activated. Specifically trained for emergency scenarios, our medical team moved promptly to the accident site from the site clinic with appropriate medical emergency equipment.
The injured patients were triaged and stabilised as part of the Mass Casualty Incident Response process. They were then transported to the site clinic via our ground ambulance, where the site medical team treated varying levels of injuries — from abrasions to lacerations and fractures.
To provide further specialist care for the two patients with serious injuries, the International SOS site team escalated the cases to the Medical Services Centre (MSC) in Port Harcourt. Access to a suitable secondary hospital and specialist care within the International SOS network was confirmed. These two patients were admitted to the hospital for advanced care, where we provided end-to-end medical case monitoring.
Impact
The site medical team's prompt response, along with the support of our MSC, ensured that the injured received appropriate and timely treatment and were able to resume their duties shortly after. Regular training and emergency drills for the International SOS medical staff ensure that they can respond to different types of emergencies.
The triage and management of all injuries on the project site were also cost-efficient for our client, with third-party providers activated only to treat severe cases. Our client thus ensured their Duty of Care towards their employees.