Innocent Sibonginkosi Ncube
BULAWAYO – Residents of Bulawayo are being advised to call upon city council ambulance services during medical emergencies, as ambulances stationed at government hospitals are primarily reserved for patients referred from outside the city.
The clarification was issued by Mpilo Central Hospital’s Acting Director of Operations, Mr. Phineas Sithole, during a stakeholders’ engagement meeting hosted by Transparency International Zimbabwe (TIZ) on Thursday. The meeting addressed growing concerns from the community regarding access to emergency medical transport.
The issue was highlighted after members of the local Health Care Committee (HCC) raised alarms about difficulties in accessing the ambulance based at Cowdray Park’s new government health facility.
A committee member reported that residents are frequently informed the facility’s ambulance cannot transport them, forcing families to seek alternatives.
“We end up calling council ambulances, which sometimes take longer to arrive. Sometimes people use wheelbarrows or pushcarts to get patients to the clinic,” the committee member revealed.
In response, Mr. Sithole explained the operational protocols governing government health institutions. He emphasised that central hospital ambulances are designated to serve patients from the City’s periphery and beyond, while Bulawayo’s residents should utilise municipal services.
“We need to understand that there are rules that govern the operation of ambulances at government hospitals,” Sithole stated.
“Residents of Bulawayo have access to council ambulances; they need to make use of those.”
Sithole further advised on the correct procedure for seeking emergency care, discouraging the practice of calling an ambulance directly to one’s home.
“Calling ambulances to one’s home is not really advised. Patients must go to local clinics and, if their conditions are serious, the clinic calls the ambulance for transfer to the hospital,” he explained.
He also noted that the recent introduction of helicopter ambulance services has helped alleviate pressure on ground facilities, enabling faster medical assistance for critical cases.
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