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The crested crane from Uganda's flag |
Bicycle AmbulancesFollowing a favourable report of the good use the prototype has been put to over the last year, NVI were commissioned to build 20 bicycle ambulances and they were delivered to the Arise Africa compound by the time of our arrival! Arise Africa, in conjunction with the local Health Ministry, designated 6 rural health centres in Jinja District to receive the 1st batch and, despite some typically African transport hiccups, we duly delivered them, two at a time.
Prototype Bicycle Ambulance Invariably welcomed with African dignity and warmth, we might as well have been offering them the Earth, such was their sincere and overwhelming gratitude. The occasion demanded a full turn out of health workers, health centre committee members and curious villagers, together with a signing of the visitors’ book, speeches, prayers of blessing and a tour of the health centre facilities. In one centre we were introduced to a mother and not-quite-1-day-old baby! The appointed driver lost no time in putting the ambulance through its paces, and there was no shortage of usually healthy volunteer riders. The drivers took to their new charges remarkably quickly – African legs are made for cycling, even with a heavy load behind. We were delighted to see how well the ambulances performed, even over rutted tracks and paths.
The final product - including canopy to protect patients from the scorching Equatorial sunshine They will be used to bring sick people to the health centres, which serve a dauntingly large area. Of course, the next need is to provide some means of getting the really sick to regional referral hospitals, but that is for another time! As ever in Africa, we came away from those delivery assignments with an uncanny sense of having been blessed as much as being a blessing. Andrew Hardcastle (February 2006) |
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