For over two years, two ambulances have now been grounded at Luwero Health Centre IV, Kasana after failure to maintain and repair them. These ambulances, which lack tyres but otherwise appear good, may have a life if some miracle is done and they are repaired. With a bit of prioritisation and consideration from the district the vehicles could serve their purpose.
The grounding of two ambulances in the district means there is a gap in the provision of emergency services for people who are critically ill and need to be transported to the health centres. These people include women in labour, who could be experiencing potentially fatal obstructed labour.
Uganda’s ministry of health has constantly attributed maternal mortality to ‘the three Ds’. These Ds relate to three delays, namely delaying to initiate antenatal services or deciding whether to seek care, delaying accessing a health facility, especially when in labour (normally due to the hardship of long distances and the physical terrain), and delaying being attended to by health workers such as doctors and midwives in order to receive quality emergency obstetric care.
The lack of ambulances in Luwero aggravates the second delay, since people are scattered and may not be reached quickly during emergency situations.
- No Tyres
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