Developing emergency medical dispatch systems in Africa – Recommendations of the African Federation for Emergency Medicine/International Academies of Emergency Dispatch Working Group

Abstract

Emergency medical dispatch (EMD) systems are a crucial component of effective Emergency Medical Services (EMS) systems. They provide a means of public access to emergency care information and out-of-hospital emergency care resources and expertise. EMD systems also link various components of EMS, thereby improving efficiency and performance. As EMS systems are rapidly developing across many parts of Africa, EMD systems which are context appropriate are in great need, but are mostly absent despite the wide availability of telecommunications technology. To facilitate the development of EMD systems appropriate for the African setting, the African Federation for Emergency Medicine (AFEM) and the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch (IAED) convened a working group in November 2014 to provide conceptual, technical, and innovative recommendations for contextually appropriate EMD systems for African settings. It is hoped that these recommendations will augment efficiency, effectiveness, and standardisation within and among African EMD systems, thereby improving health outcomes for sufferers of acute illness or injury.