News / Local
Chiwenga urged to release ambulances donated by World Health Organisation
10 Sep 2022 at 06:26hrs | Views
CITIZENS Coalition for Change (CCC) lawmaker Settlement Chikwinya has urged the government to expedite deployment of ambulances at toll gates to offer emergency services to road traffic accident victims.
This comes at a time over 10 ambulances donated to the health ministry specifically for this purpose are due to be deployed a year later.
In a statement Chikwinya who is the party's transport and infrastructure parliamentary spokesperson said the idea of stationing ambulance services at all toll gates was embraced by all stakeholders as far back as May 2021 but up to now no action has been taken.
"Victims of road traffic accidents continue to lose life with the government sitting on ambulances donated for deployment at tollgates without stationing them where they are due," he said.
In May last year the World Health Organization donated 10 ambulances to render quick response medical services from tollgates.
Deputy President Constantino Chiwenga who is also a Health Minister received the ambulances.
"Sadly these ambulances are still docked in government park yards somewhere," said Chikwinya.
"Recently the Insurance Council of Zimbabwe donated four more ambulances for the same purposes as Zimbabwe intends to raise the figure of Ambulances to be stationed at toll gates to twenty but still none of these have been deployed with no explanation from Chiwenga," he said.
Chikwinya said the opposition party is calling on the government to expedite the deployment of the ambulances as we draw close to the festive season.
"Ambulances at Toll gates arrive much faster at accident scenes because they do not have to weave through the high traffic volume that characterises our city centres especially during peak hours.
"This service, if properly implemented, as per the recommendations of the World Health Organization will definitely save many lives and we call upon Hon Chiwenga the Minister of Health to immediately release the available Ambulances for work so that we minimise any further loss of life," he said.
This comes at a time over 10 ambulances donated to the health ministry specifically for this purpose are due to be deployed a year later.
In a statement Chikwinya who is the party's transport and infrastructure parliamentary spokesperson said the idea of stationing ambulance services at all toll gates was embraced by all stakeholders as far back as May 2021 but up to now no action has been taken.
"Victims of road traffic accidents continue to lose life with the government sitting on ambulances donated for deployment at tollgates without stationing them where they are due," he said.
In May last year the World Health Organization donated 10 ambulances to render quick response medical services from tollgates.
"Sadly these ambulances are still docked in government park yards somewhere," said Chikwinya.
"Recently the Insurance Council of Zimbabwe donated four more ambulances for the same purposes as Zimbabwe intends to raise the figure of Ambulances to be stationed at toll gates to twenty but still none of these have been deployed with no explanation from Chiwenga," he said.
Chikwinya said the opposition party is calling on the government to expedite the deployment of the ambulances as we draw close to the festive season.
"Ambulances at Toll gates arrive much faster at accident scenes because they do not have to weave through the high traffic volume that characterises our city centres especially during peak hours.
"This service, if properly implemented, as per the recommendations of the World Health Organization will definitely save many lives and we call upon Hon Chiwenga the Minister of Health to immediately release the available Ambulances for work so that we minimise any further loss of life," he said.
Source - NewZimbabwe
