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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | At least 10 police ambulance drivers are being probed by the Professional Standards Unit (PSU) for allegedly charging patients and turning the vehicles into passenger vans.
It is reported that several people have lodged complaints at PSU accusing the drivers of asking them to pay money before they could drive their patients to hospitals. Some drivers, according to complaints at PSU, refused to drive the patients when relatives failed to pay the money they had asked.
Police spokesperson Fred Enanga, confirmed that there are several concerns that have been raised in regard to the abuse of force ambulances by drivers attached to them. Police currently have 26 functioning ambulances that have been stationed at various emergency centers.
But Enanga says some drivers have turned the ambulances into cargo carriers, public service vans, and some are using them for their personal errands. Complaints about the abuse of the ambulances have mostly come from upcountry areas where people in remote areas were asked to pay money before the drivers accept to drive the patients to hospitals.
“We want to inform the public that have gotten concerns about misuse and abuse of police ambulances by police drivers attached to them. We want to inform the public that we currently have a fleet of 26 ambulances attached to different emergency centers.
These ambulances are supposed to transport police personnel, evacuate of victims of accidents and disasters,” Enanga said.
The emergency centres created by police where these ambulances are attached include Kawempe, Nsambya, Katwe, FFU Naguru, Buwama, Masaka, Moroto, Lira, Hoima, Busunjju, Police headquarters, Mubende, Iganga, Katakwi, Luweero, Gulu, Arua, Mbarara, Kabale, Fort Portal, Lugazi, Tororo and Mbale.
Any person can seek the services of a police ambulance by dialing toll-free line 800122221 or emergency call lines 999 or 112. Other duties of police ambulances include supporting police operations by rushing wounded suspects or police personnel to the hospital, accompanying Very Very Important Persons (VVIPs) and Very Important Persons (VIPs) convoys.
Police have urged the public to always take charge of the ambulances stationed in their areas of residence by reporting any drivers who use them for personal gains. In March this year, Police’s director for health services AIGP Dr. Moses Byaruhanga said ambulances drivers were using them for smuggling.
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