By Priscilla Owomugisha,
RUKUNGIRI:
Health ministry condemns misuse of ambulance for commercial activities
The ministry of health has publicly condemned the conduct of a driver of Rukungiri District Administration for misusing an ambulance when he loaded pineapples for sale.
According to a statement by the ministry’s spokesperson Emmanuel Ainebyoona, the vehicle had taken a patient to Ntungamo when the driver parked at a roadside market to buy pineapples for sale and loaded them in the vehicle.
“Our attention has been drawn to a photo of an ambulance registration number UG 33797 that is making rounds on social media, the vehicle is managed by Rukungiri District Local Government and had taken a patient to Ntungamo”, Ainebyoona said
He added; “After his assignment, the driver loaded the vehicle with pineapples. The ministry of health had taken steps including asking the district to take action on the driver as provided within the public service standing orders”.
Accordingly, misuse of the ambulance is a breach of the permanent secretary orders to Chief Administrative Officers. Ainebyoona has however, assured the public that measures were being taken to bring the culprit to book.
He disclosed government plans to install GPS tracking system, call and dispatch communication under the national ambulance service which he is optimistic that once completed, there will no longer be abuse of ambulances.
Ainebyoona says that by using the tracking system, all the ambulance emergency care staff would be centrally controlled and easy to discipline.
“Further to this, we shall use a medical command control system where no ambulance takes a journey without authorisation by the regional EMS cordinator,” he said.
The public have also been asked to remain vigilant in reporting all acts of misuse of public properties including government vehicles
