Japan has donated two more high-end critical care ambulances to the Government to help improve health service delivery in remote areas.
The ambulances, which were donated through UNOPS, will be deployed to Chikore Mission Hospital in Chipinge District and Hauna District Hospital in Mutasa District, both in Manicaland.
The ambulances were acquired under the project of equipping health centres in Manicaland to improve emergency medical services.
Speaking at the handover ceremony yesterday, Japanese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Satoshi Tanaka said the ambulances complemented the PCR machine that was handed over last year to Nyanga District Hospital in the same province.
“These ambulances are mobile ICU units as they are fully-equipped with the latest medical equipment,” he said.
“This means that critical patients can be treated or stabilised in the ambulance rather than waiting to reach the hospital and it also means that patients can be kept alive during transportation with advanced life support systems.
“The ambulances will go a long way towards improving maternal and child health. It has been found that timely access to prompt and safe surgical care is one of the most important elements to prevent maternal and perinatal mortality.”
Ambassador Tanaka said the project would complement the Ministry’s efforts in terms of extensive coverage of ambulance services and Universal Health Coverage goals of leaving no one behind.
Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care Dr John Mangwiro said the gesture by the Japanese government meant a better future for those people in hard to reach areas.
“I would like to thank you on behalf of the Zimbabwe Government for the gift of life you have given us,” he said.
“The golden hour is important. People lose life in the first hour of accident. They bleed to death because the people who may have gotten there have no appropriate equipment, but this is a mini ICU and lives will be saved.”
The UNOPS acting Country Manager Ms Nawal Aminath said their mission was to help build better lives and help countries achieve peace and sustainable development.
“We are very happy to note that these vehicles will help the communities, including the vulnerable groups, access health services, especially girls and women,” she said.
“As the part of the project, UNOPS will facilitate the training of ambulance technicians in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Child Care.’’ – The Herald
