[Results of the first three years of operation of the emergency medical assistance service (SAMU) in Yaounde, Cameroon].

PURPOSE

The purpose of this article is to present the results of a descriptive and retrospective study of the operations of the emergency medical assistance service (SAMU) in Yaounde, Cameroon.

METHODS

Medical regulation and intervention records and monthly statistics forms were analysed for the period going from the creation of the SAMU in 2004 to March 2007. Study was limited to call reception, medical regulation, and extra-hospital and training activities. Study focused on operations and services.

RESULTS

The SAMU in Cameroon is managed by a pilot committee presided by the Minister of Public Health and headed by a technical executive secretary. The single phone number to contact SAMU Yaoundé is 19 (119). When a call comes, the personnel on duty in the regulation room identifies the caller and either gives a non-medical response or transfers the call to an on-call emergency doctor who decides whether or not on-site intervention is required. In the 3-year study period, the SAMU received 50,822 calls per year (mean, 1694 +/- 2195). There were 1 596 prank calls (3.14%), 31 044 (61.08%) calls requesting non-medical information, and 2054 (4.04%) calls requiring on-site intervention. The number of calls decreased by 23% from the first to third year of operation. The number of on site-interventions carried out by Yaoundé SAMU was 578 in the first year, 651 in the second and 825 in the third year. A total of 1555 interventions were carried out including 142 that ended in no action and 107 that ended in late arrival. Road traffic accidents were the main reason for intervention. Only one training session was organised for the personnel during the first year of operations.

CONCLUSION

The SAMU Yaoundé is based on the French model (on-site care). The number of calls has dropped from the first to third year but the number of prank calls has also decreased. Road traffic accidents accounted for most of the on-site interventions. Further work is needed to increase public awareness of the importance of the SAMU and to provide training for SAMU personnel.