The Prime Minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda has flagged off ten ambulances procured by Uganda Red Cross Society.
The ambulances will provide emergency services on the highways of Kampala-Masaka-Mbarara- Kabale, Lira-Mbale, Kampala-Gulu, Kampala-Malaba and two will be stationed in the Kampala Metropolitan Area.
Uganda registers about 20,000 road accidents each year, with some 2,000 deaths, making it among the countries with the highest traffic death rates, according to 2019 police statistics. The accidents are attributed to the high rate of road accidents to reckless driving, speeding, human error, drunk driving and overloading.
The ten fully equipped ambulances classified as class B cost Shs2 billion are aimed at improving emergency and accident response along major highways in the country.
“This is a big achievement for our country. This collaboration is crucial because Uganda Red Cross has the capacity. There is already substantial evidence with Bududa and recently when we were faced with the COVID-19 response pandemic,” Rugunda said.
According to Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health Dr. Diana Atwine, the project is expected to have a fleet of 20 ambulances for emergency medical services on the major highways.
“It is our dream that in the next three years we shall have a fleet for every region with call centers. We hope that these ambulances are centrally managed,” she said.
