Story by Bruce Chahwanda, Political Editor
PRESIDENT Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa has handed over a fleet of ambulances to the Ministry of Health and Child Care, in a move aimed at strengthening emergency response capacity and improving access to healthcare services across the country.
The handover ceremony, held at State House in Harare on Wednesday, underscores ongoing efforts to equip health institutions and enhance service delivery, particularly in underserved areas.
President Dr Mnangagwa said Government remains focused on expanding critical health infrastructure and ensuring equitable access to essential services.
“We strive to ensure that all our facilities have such equipment to ensure that no district is left behind. It is a matter of resources, but we envisage a scenario where the Ministry of Health and Child Care keeps giving us pressure to ensure that whenever we get resources, we buy their needs,” he said.
The Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Douglas Mombeshora, said the additional ambulances will improve patient referral systems and reduce response times in emergencies.
“You have seen what the President Cde Mnangagwa has done to the sector, we are happy with such a gesture. Ten ambulances mean a lot to the sector, and we wish to get 200 ambulances every year so that we can ferry our people on time. In the health sector, time is of utmost importance to ensure patients will not have to spend a lot of time to reach a referral hospital. This will also bring joy to health workers as they have tools of their trade. These ambulances will go a long way in assisting our sector. Previously, Government handed over ten ambulances to provincial hospitals, and this addition will go a long way in the provision of health services to other parts of the country,” he said.
The latest deployment forms part of broader efforts to modernise Zimbabwe’s healthcare system and improve service delivery in line with national development priorities.
