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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Minister of Health Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng says her ministry requires 544 emergency vehicles to improve emergency response across the country.
She says if availed, the vehicles will boost intra-facility and inter-facility transfer of patients as well as quick response to disasters, and epidemics in the country.
Aceng made the remarks on Friday while receiving 25 type B ambulances donated by the government of Japan.
She said that currently, Uganda needs 430 type B ambulances, which are basic life support ambulances, and 30 type C Ambulances which are specialized ambulances to boost the emergency services in the country.
She added that so far the country has 135 ambulances that meet the standards with 80 of them at constituencies and 55 at referral hospitals.
She also said that by the end of June 2023, the ambulance gap was still high at 325 ambulances out of 544 ambulances.
The Minister highlighted that the 25 ambulances donated by the government of Japan are part of the overall consignment of 116 ambulances procured by the government last financial year.
She also noted that the type B ambulances donated by the government of Japan are to be distributed to 25 constituencies according to the emergency medical services policy where they can serve a population of 100,000 people.
The ambulances will also help in the management of disasters like floods, landslides, accidents, and emerging and re-emerging epidemic diseases and also to provide stand-by emergency medical cover to mass gatherings in the country.
The Japanese Ambassador to Uganda Fukazawa Hidemoto said that the donation is part of the Japanese grant for economic and social development program where Japan injected 3.8 USD to procure the 25 ambulances which also involve training and other maintenance services of the donated ambulances.
He also said that the ambulances are part of the donations for COVID-19 relief in 2020. He also added that the government of Japan is ready to donate more ambulances to Uganda if they properly manage and maintain them.
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