HARARE The Harare City Council is operating with only two ambulances to service the local authoritys 50 health facilities, the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) revealed last week.The UN agency said the shortage of ambulances was severely affecting the delivery of healthcare services in the capital, with some sick people waiting more than nine hours before an ambulance is available to transport them to the hospital.
In a city like Harare, with more than 50 primary health facilities, only two ambulances are available to respond to emergencies, it said.
Harare City Council spokesman Leslie Gwindi was not available for comment but the local authoritys ambulance fleet has previously been grounded due to a shortage of fuel and spares, paralysing the provision of emergency services in the city.
The shortage has forced the poor to either hire private vehicles or use public transport to ferry sick relatives to hospital.
This has led to many patients who could otherwise survive being exposed to risk of death because of lack of access to emergency care from trained ambulance medics.
The shortage of ambulances ironically comes at a time the city fathers are said to be splashing millions of dollars on top-of-the-range vehicles.
Post published in: Analysis