Excitement is brewing among residents and leaders of Lira Municipal Council following the acquisition of the first ambulance procured using funds from the Peace, Recovery and Development Plan- PRDP.
With coming of the PRDP funded ambulance, the municipal authorities are optimistic of reducing deaths arising from lack of health complications that can be treated if the patient is rushed to a better equipped hospital.
The ambulance registration number LG 0002 123 is the first to be acquired by Lira Municipal Council since its establishment. An ambulance is a vehicle built for purposes of transporting sick people and it’s mainly used during emergency or referral cases.
Emmanuel Oyuku, deputy town clerk Lira Municipal Council, told URN on Thursday that the telephone number of the driver shall be made public to ease its accessibility in case of any demand. He says they used to borrow ambulances from the main hospital in case of emergency cases at the lower health centres but this should stop.
The ambulance will serve all the five health units including Ober, Ayago health centres III, Lira municipal, Ogengo and Adyel Health centres II.
The council will be providing fuel for the ambulance adding that they are also set to purchase another double cabin pick up using PRDP funds for education department..
Oyuku said the procurement delayed due to stern conditions put by the government before procuring the vehicle.
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Margret Adong, a local resident of Ober Kampala, Ojwina Division says she is happy with acquisition of the ambulance adding that it will help the poor who cannot afford hiring commercial ambulances. She urged the municipal authority to ensure easy accessibility of the vehicle.
Joseph Odongo, a trader at Te-Obaya market, says they will now stop hiring commercial ambulances to handle any health emergency as they used to do.
Moris Odung, Lira Municipality Mayor, took the opportunity to urge pregnant mothers and children to ensure that they sleep under treated mosquito nets to combat malaria which is rampant.
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Lira municipality in the last financial year of 2011/2012 received about UGX 500m from government for the implementation of activities under Peace, Recovery and Development Plan.
