Agago district receives new ambulance to boost emergency medical services

Agago, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Agago district leaders officially received a brand-new Type B ambulance on Tuesday, aimed at enhancing emergency medical services in the region. The ambulance is part of a batch of 116 ambulances flagged off by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja in September 2023 under the National Ambulance Service, designed to improve emergency medical services across the country.

The new ambulance was handed over during a brief ceremony at the Agago District Health Office on Tuesday. It is equipped with a Patient Monitoring Machine, Oxygen Cylinder, Blood Pressure Machine, Glucometer, and a fuel card for fueling the vehicle.

With registration number UG3100176, the ambulance will be stationed at Patongo Health Center IV in Agago County, the largest government hospital in the district. However, it will also serve health centers throughout the district.

Paul Okello, the Senior Health Educator for Agago District, explained that the old ambulance was simply an ordinary vehicle modified into an ambulance. He expressed hope that the new, well-equipped ambulance would significantly improve the referral process, helping save the lives of many patients.

Okello added that the new ambulance would be especially helpful for low-income families who struggled to afford fuel for the old ambulance. It would also eliminate the risks of transporting critically ill patients on boda bodas, which are slow, uncomfortable, and dangerous.

The national emergency medical services policy aims to station ambulances at key locations in every constituency, including highways, general hospitals, Health Center IVs, Health Center IIIs, and referral hospitals. Bernard Opolot, the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of Agago district, announced plans to train a designated driver in first aid and a paramedic emergency medical technician for the ambulance service.

He emphasized that the ambulance would respond to routine emergencies, certain disease conditions, and public health crises. The ambulance will be managed by the accounting officer and receive technical guidance from the district health officer or the regional referral hospital director. It will also be coordinated at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital.

A 7-member ambulance committee will be formed, consisting of four technical team members, two political leaders, and one community representative.

Leonard Ojok, the Chairperson of Agago district, expressed enthusiasm about the new ambulance, noting that it is intended primarily for referral purposes. “We are now informing the community that salvation is coming. Whenever we have referral cases, there is an ambulance equipped with the most modern equipment,” Ojok said, adding, “We will leave no stone unturned to ensure that the ambulance is used professionally and that its maintenance is up to date.”

Susan Akot Moro, the Deputy RDC of Agago district, urged health center IIs and IIIs in the district to make timely referrals for patients in critical condition and encouraged leaders to be accountable in the use of the ambulance. “I want to ask the leaders of Agago to take ownership of this ambulance. It has come to serve our people,” Akot said.

The ambulance is set to serve 16 Health Center IIIs and 25 Health Center IIs in the district. Previously, Agago only had one ambulance assigned to Patongo Health Center IV, which has an annual OPD target of 19,300 and an annual target of 965 expectant mothers.

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