Tough guidelines as govt flags off 14 boat ambulances
Government Chief Whip, Hamson Obua (with) national flag at the official flagging off of a water boat ambulance donated to Amolatar District on June 16, 2023 on the Lake Kyoga waters. PHOTO/DAN WANDERA
What you need to know:
- The ambulances that have been handed over to 14 Island districts in Uganda will be managed under a Memorandum of Understanding.
Government has issued strict guidelines under the Emergency Response Medical Services program that will govern the operations of the water boat ambulances commissioned at the different water bodies in the country.
The 14 water boat ambulances, a new concept to strengthen the emergency medical services response system in Uganda will be part of the already existing ambulance program where the government has procured 134 ambulance (vehicles).
The ambulances that have been handed over to 14 Island districts in Uganda will be managed under a Memorandum of Understanding signed by a section of stakeholders including the Ministry of Health, UPDF, Uganda Police (Marine), Ministry of Water and Environment and the Ministry of Local Government.
Ministry of health Principal Operations Officer for the department of emergency medical services Maria Nkalubo says that each of the boats will be manned by the coxswain, a navigator and a paramedic.
“The boats are not office transport vehicles. They should not be used for funeral services unless a patient dies in transit. The boat crew is restricted from allowing passengers. They are strictly for medical emergency services,” she said at the launch of the water boat ambulances given to Amolatar District on June 16 at Namasale landing site.
While officiating at the same event, government Chief Whip Hamson Obua revealed that the ambulances are part of the NRM manifesto pledge made by President Museveni.
“Government is committed to fulfilling the NRM manifesto. We should jealously guard the ambulances from misuse and use them as emergency transport vehicles on water,” he said.
The water boat ambulances will not be limited to the transportation of patients but are emergency rescue vehicles in the waters.
“While the number of accidents on the lake Kyoga waters have reduced because of the increased use of the legal fishing gear and standard boats, the heavy winds can still cause accidents including drowning. The water boat ambulances are a big boost to the emergency rescue services,” Lt Col Benon Namanya, the Sector Commandant 40th Marine on Lake Kyoga revealed on Friday.
Uganda has planned to procure about 104 ambulance vehicles in the financial year 2023/2024 to add to the already existing ambulance fleet of 134 ambulances.
Data from the Ministry of Health indicates that the Country has 87 life support ambulances while the advanced life support ambulances are only nine. Government has deployed 21 ambulances on the major highways managed by the Uganda Red cross, the Ministry of Health officials reveal.
