DAR ES SALAAM, Oct 8 (NNN-DAILYNEWS) — TANZANIA through the Ministry of Health has received a gift of ten ambulances with medical supplies from the government of India, as part of showing the strong bond the two countries have.
Minister for Health, Ummy Mwalimu received the ambulances from the India High Commissioner to Tanzania, Binaya Srikanta Pradhan in a ceremony held at National Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) in Dar es Salaam.
Ummy thanked the government of India for the great support that they have always been showing in the country, especially in helping the health sector.
“The two governments are cooperating well in so many things and I take this opportunity to thank you for the provision of ambulances that will help in simplifying health services to Tanzanians,” she said.
She added that the government is in the final stages of establishing a national system for coordinating the use of ambulances, to facilitate quick access to health emergency services.
“We have a big challenge for ambulances arriving on time to the emergency scenes, so we are going to have one system that will include all the ambulances in the country and monitor them,” she said.
She insisted that all government ambulances must be insured, so as to protect the vehicles and make them continue working well.
“Whoever will be given these ambulances must pay for insurances first before starting working with them, so they can be protected,” added Ummy.
Similarly, she demanded drivers of ambulances to follow the law, procedure and proper use of the vehicles. She said that the ministry is aware that some drivers were misusing the vehicles by transporting other things not related to carrying patients.
The ten Phoenix Ambulances donated by India government are advanced ambulance with a high power of 80HP diesel engine that will help quicker transport of patients to the hospital.
They are fitted with GPRS tracking device, intercom for driver and rear crews’ communication, spacious rear AC room with a fridge for medicine storage, a wash basin and tank, medical equipment, one portable and two fixed oxygen cylinders, pulse oximetry, Portable Suction Apparatus, foot suction machine, portable EMS cardiac monitor with defibrillator and two spine boards.
India and Tanzania share strong partnership in health care sector, where India supplies a major portion of Tanzania’s pharmaceutical requirements. — NNN-DAILYNEWS
