Maracha's only Ambulance breaks down, grounded amid COVID-19 misdemeanour

*Maracha District Health Officer,Dr. Onzubo Paul talking to RedPepper Digital in his office at the district headquarters.*

Maracha – Despite work stress, financial strains and other burdens streaming in, due to COVID-19, transport tremor hits Maracha as the district’s only Ambulance breaks down.

The district leaders extend a plight to Ministry of health for prompt response.

“We need the prompt intervention of the ministry of health to support the district with at least an ambulance as the only one we had, was overstretched and has finally broken down,” says the district senior health inspector.

Encountered with a challenging situation of lack of ambulance Maracha district leaders are left pondering for solutions to respond to health emergencies requiring means of transport.

Before it’s grounding the ambulance, a donation, meant to transport expectant mothers for delivery, was overwhelmed with ferrying even other patients and the dead.

” The Ambulance service we had, was actually poor one. Poor service for poor people” the district senior health inspector, Mr. Okudra Russal Jurua describes the state at which the district Ambulance existed before breaking down.

“The driver could carry two patients at ago, simply because if he went with one, the other would run into a very critical condition or he was saving fuel. Now, with this situation of COVID-19 pandemic, what are we going to do” Mr. Russal wonders.

He intimates that as the challenges are intensifying due to COVID-19 pandemic, pregnant mothers can’t be carried in the some vehicle.
“What do we do with infectious diseases prevention and control. We need more Ambulances” he rules.

For the senior health inspector, the Ambulance was misused because the donor intended it’s use only for the purpose transporting pregnant mothers.

” The Ambulance, by the way, if the White man was still here, he would have refused that this Ambulance to be used for carrying some other patients as it was meant for pregnant mothers for delivery” he stresses.

The senior Health inspector opposes use of open pickups as Ambulances to carry patients.

“Vehicle parked at the district yard near DHO”s office are not designed for referral.

let’s do other things but the central government should give us more Ambulances” Mr. Russal stresses.

Dr. Onzubo Paul, the district Health Officer cries out for an Ambulance to save lives of COVID-19 patients and expectant mothers.

“Maracha needs an Ambulance for COVID-19 cases management. A lot of donations have been made at the National COVID-19 taskforce and some of which include Ambulances, Maracha needed that Ambulance from yesterday” the DHO emphasises.

He observes that as a result of transport problems, many expectant mother resort to deliver at home instead of seeking services at health facilities.

Maracha Woman MP. Ayaka Rose Atima notes the immense challenges on the district include transport shortage.

She believes, expectant mothers are the most affected as this hinders their quick access to health facilities.

“The issue of not having an Ambulance, is a very matter because at this opportune time if a mother is supposed to go for delivery, what happens, now that we don’t have an Ambulance” the MP tasks DTF forced.

She observes patients and expectant mothers used to to use other private means but now, due to COVID-19, it has been prohibited” the MP stresses.

Hon. Ayaka urges the national taskforce to consider Maracha district in next allocation of fleet of vehicles that President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has mobilised to fight COVID-19 pandemic I’m the country.

” I want to appeal to the national taskforce to look at Maracha as one of the border districts. We are aware that vehicles have been donated to the national taskforce. The president has been Instrumental lobbyist to have vehicles donated from different partners and so far a good success had been registered Hon. Ayaka expresses.

Maracha district registers a high number of home deliveries since the beginning of lockdown.

This has been attributed to various causes, one of which is fear of getting infected at the facility, transport and delays of issuing travel permits.