Who uses ambulances?

Dear Editor

I HAVE noticed with great concern that in as much as government is empowering almost all health posts in Lusaka with ambulances, citizens do not even know the number to call to access this service.

One can have an emergency in the middle of the night, be it a very sick person, pregnant woman who is due to deliver or in- deed an accident but cannot get in touch with the authorities. It is high time the Ministry of Health publicised contact details for the health posts or it’s toll free line if they even have one.

I don’t think I am the only one who does not know the toll free number for such an important service. The same applies to the Fire Brigade and other public institutions offering emergency services. Let the numbers be advertised constantly in the newspapers, on television and in public places so that they sink in and people get to access emergency services.

So far it’s only people who know someone at a particular health institution that are benefitting from these services.

It’s not fair and it’s risky that someone should be standing alone on some road at night looking for a taxi to take their loved ones to the clinic. This is one reason why we are having women giving birth from their homes with the help of people who are not qualified for such.

We are losing many of our women in this way. Let’s take a leaf from how other countries are doing it, an ambulance will be at the accident scene within a blink of an eye.

How long does it take ours to reach the accident scene and why? The answer is simple, lack of proper communication! AARON MUTALE, CONCERNED RESIDENT, LUSAKA.