$14.5M water ambulance commissioned at Orealla/Siparuta

Residents of Orealla and Siparuta in Region Six now have a $14.5 million water ambulance to facilitate the transportation of patients in need of urgent care to the Skeldon Hospital.

After a fire explosion in March destroyed the previous water ambulance, the government, in collaboration with the regional administration, invested in procuring a new one to service the remote communities.

The emergency vessel was customised to cater specifically to the health needs of the population.

It is equipped with advanced medical equipment and facilities to improve patient care during transport.

Speaking at the handing-over ceremony, Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony highlighted the government’s commitment to ensuring that far-flung communities have access to essential services.

“This is not an insignificant investment, it is a major investment that we are making because we understand the needs that you have moving from Orealla/Siparuta to come out here to Skeldon and we want to facilitate this,” Minister Anthony stated.

The health minister outlined the government’s initiatives aimed at upgrading the communities’ health facilities and ensuring the provision of quality healthcare services.

So far, the area has received an all-terrain vehicle and benefited from several medical missions and upgrades to its health facility.

The residents will also benefit from programmes including the recently launched Eye Test and Spectacle Voucher initiative, and the Cervical Cancer Screening programme.

Dr Anthony said as the government continues to advance healthcare throughout the country, the goal is to ensure that no community, regardless of location, is overlooked.

“We don’t want any place to be left out and that is why we are working to make sure that everything that is we are working to provide…We are determined that we must be able to provide at least 115 different interventions at a health centre” Dr Anthony noted. 

He urged the residents to take care of the facilities provided and to anticipate further improvements in the community.