- The Zimbabwean government, which faces acute foreign
currency shortages and a collapsing health sector, has introduced ox-drawn
ambulances to ferry ill people to health centres in rural areas. The main
opposition party said the introduction of the ox-drawn ambulances, reported
in the government media, was yet another indication of the "continuing
collapse of institutions" in Zimbabwe under the weight of President
Robert Mugabe's mismanagement.
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- "Zimbabwe is being dragged back to the stone
age,"
said opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) spokesperson Paul
Themba Nyathi. The ox-drawn ambulances come after the bankrupt state-run
National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) reportedly brought back steam
locomotives,
which had long fallen into disuse. The NRZ could not afford to run its
modern electric and diesel locomotives.
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- Themba Nyathi said: "As long as we have Robert
(Mugabe)
and his gang around, we will not only end at ox-drawn ambulances, but we
will see further deterioration in all aspects of life." State media
reports said the ox-drawn ambulances are a result of an initiative by the
ministry of health, and are based on the commonly used ox-drawn scotch
carts for rural transport. They would initially be used in at least 10
district councils around Harare to ferry ill people to hospitals. The
state-run
Herald newspaper said communities would take charge of the ambulances,
while a cart minder would be responsible for management and maintenance.
Health ministry officials said the ox-drawn carts were an act of
desperation
because there was no money to buy proper equipment.
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- "At many state hospitals, the only drug you will
find is paracetamol. An ambulance will thus be a big luxury," said
one official. "Maybe these ox-drawn carts will help in reducing people
dying in homes. They will either die on their way to the hospital or on
arrival. That will save the families of the hassle of transporting dead
bodies to mortuaries." But Health Minister David Parirenyatwa was
quoted by the Herald as saying the carts would make a great impact in
reducing
avoidable deaths.
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- Source: WWW.ZwNews.Com
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