Kabale Buys 250 Bicycle Ambulances

KABALE district has purchased 250 bicycle ambulances to reduce the burden of transporting patients to health centres, reports Pascal Niwebyona.The chief administrative officer, Mr. Sam Katehangwa, said the innovation has benefited community groups that used to transport patients on stretchers.He told The New Vision that reports received by the Ministry of health for the week ending March 23, indicated that the district had the highest incidence of the diseases in the country with 5,043 patients.Katehangwa said the bicycle ambulances were purchased at sh52m between 1998-2002 with funds from the central government.He said the bicycle ambulances had enabled communities to transport their sick to health centres.“We believe that without these ambulances the incidence and deaths would be so high and people would be dying in their homes without seeking treatment,” he said.Katehangwa said although the modified bicycles were not the best, they were an improvement from the traditional stretcher.Ends