Ethics Minister Donates Ambulance to Karenga Hospital

Mothers who have been facing difficulty in accessing health services in the remote Karenga district in Karamoja region on Wednesday jubilated as they received a brand new ambulance from state minister of Ethics Ms Rose Lily Akello.

The ambulance worth 200million Shillings will serve mothers of Karenga who have been  hiring bicycles and motorcycles when they develop labour pain.

Rose Mary Nachap a resident of Kidepo village in Karenga district said the availability of a new ambulance in the district gives mothers hope of safety during labour time.

" For me it is God who helped me when I developed labour pains, my husband tried to take me to the nearest health centre in Kitgum side but we saw elephants on the road an had to turn back and I was attended to by a traditional birth attendant," she said.

According to Nachap although she was helped by a traditional birth attendant, she suffered to fight with the air that entered into, after giving birth.She believes that if she had used an ambulance she would have delivered properly in the hospital.

Joyce Namer another mother said the delivery of an ambulance by the ethics ministers who is also the member of parliament for Karenga district is a great relief.

"For us women in Karenga whenever you concieve one thing dominates our brains; how to reach to the health centre during labour," she said.

Karenga district was carved out of Kaabong district and it started operation on 1st of July 2019

Mr. Ilukol Rewes, the assistant district health director said the Minister's donation was at the right time when the district is facing a big challenge of fighting wild animals that have been making it hard for patients to cross to the health facilities.

He said the vehicle attached to the district health office has been working as an ambulance whenever there is an emergency.

"I am so happy because we have been having a big challenge in referring patient's with complications to other hospital," he said.

Ms Rose Lily Akello the state minister for ethics however, warned against misuse of the ambulance.

"We have seen in other places where ambulances meant to help patients are being used for transporting bricks and other funny things and this must not happen here," she said.