ADRA donates ambulance bicycles

Written by Stanely Mpasa

As a direct response to the village transport challenges, and long distances covered to get to the health centers, ADRA Malawi has donated 12 ambulance bicycles to different communities in Chikwawa and Mulanje districts. The donations were made through the Train the Trainer Project (TOT).

from left: Ps Eliya, GVH Naluso, Stanly Mpasa and Ps Msuka during the presentation ceremony.

In Chikwawa four ambulances were donated to Malikopo and Nduna Village communities to serve a population of 2000 people. People in the two villages travel a distance of 16 kilometers to get to the nearest health center.  The bicycle presentation ceremony was colorful and highly attended by traditional leaders and community members.

In Mulanje, 4  bicycles were donated to 8 support groups at Chisitu to assist 1700 people. The other 4 ambulances went to Naluso Village community and the HIV/AIDS Ministries of the Seventh- Day Adventist Church received the donation on behalf of the community. The TOT project collaborates well with the church Department in the area. The church program reaches out to 17 SDA churches and a church community population of 69, 400.

A man lying confortably on an ambulance bicycle

Receiving the donation Health Ministries Department Director Pastor Eliya commended ADRA for supporting the needy. He said the donation would go a long way in reducing the time taken to ferry the patients to the health center.

Speaking earlier, Group Village Head Naluso thanked ADRA for the gift and pledged to put them ambulances to good use. He said the donation would reduce cases of patients dying before getting to the health centre due to poor transportation.  The Government Ministry of health was represented by Falece Kachingwe who thanked ADRA and the SDA Church for complementing government efforts through HIV/AIDS programs in Mulanje District.