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Gibson Mhaka
LIVES are apparently at risk in Bulawayo. If you happen to experience a medical emergency at home and you can travel to the nearest medical facility safely using your own means, just do that!
This is because patients are facing unacceptably long waiting periods for an ambulance response.
In a shocking revelation that threatens to compromise healthcare delivery in the city, the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has only five ambulances remaining in its fleet and has not acquired a single new one in the past 15 years.
According to the latest council minutes, on an average day, only five ambulances from the local Fire and Ambulance Department are available to cover the entire city.
“Discussion ensued and Councillor D (Dumisani) Netha (Ward 14) raised concern about the lack of rapid response by ambulances called to attend to the sick.
He cited an incident whereby a taxi had to be used to ferry a patient to hospital because the ambulance had delayed resulting in the loss of life.
“Councillor S (Sandra) Sibindi (Ward 20) sought clarity on whether it was permissible to source ambulance donations from well-wishers.
She suggested that if possible each ward should have its own dedicated ambulance stationed within the ward.
She also raised concern on the distance between the Fire and Ambulance stations and some suburbs,” reads part of the minutes.
In response, Chamber Secretary Sikhangele Zhou highlighted the inadequacy of the ambulance fleet.
She emphasised that only five ambulances from the local Fire and Ambulance Department were available to cover the entire city. She explained that when you call for an ambulance, it might already be attending to someone else.
In such cases, the control room can provide you with alternative options, such as private ambulance operators. She also indicated that the Council had not been able to purchase ambulances for the past 15 years.
She explained that donations were accepted and the fire and ambulance received various donations.
“One operational ambulance was donated by Deputy Minister Raj Modi and one was from Operation Florian. Donations should not be tied to the interest of the donor but had to be for the benefit of all residents of the City,” further read the minutes.
She further explained that Bulawayo has four fire stations.
“These stations are Famona, Nkulumane, Nketa and the Northern suburbs. Cowdray Park had a satellite station where an ambulance was stationed at the clinic.
Waterford was also one of the places that the fire and ambulance services were unable to respond to within the regulated time of 10 minutes, plans were underway to establish another station to cover such areas”.
Town Clerk Christopher Dube also advised that the city accepts ambulance donations, but only if they come with no conditions attached.
He said all donated ambulances must be stationed at the Fire and Ambulance stations.
“He indicated that ambulances were on the procurement plan and four ambulances will be purchased this year due to the 80% collection of foreign currency strategy.
“He highlighted that Private Ambulance services were welcome as their services would be of so much assistance to the residents of the City,” the minutes said.
Online Reporter