PIUS RUGONZIBWA, 3rd August 2009 @ 23:19, Total Comments: 0, Hits: 1028
THE Ministry of Health and Social Welfare is at an advanced stage to import 20 special tricycles that will be used as ambulances on trial basis, to pick pregnant mothers from peripheral areas to hospitals.
The plan was first announced in 2007 by the Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Prof David Mwakyusa, in efforts to curb deaths of pregnant mothers and infants that occur during the delivery stages.
The Ministry’s spokesman, Mr Nsachlis Mwamwaja, told the 'Daily News' that the tricycles-cum-ambulances would be procured and supplied to the regions with poor infrastructure and shortage of ambulances.
With poor rural roads, many such areas in the country have transport problems, that force most mothers to give birth at their homes, hence endangering their lives during the process.
The Chief Medical Officer, Dr Deo Mtasiwa, confirmed the implementation of the plan, but said it was still pending for specifications and evaluation of the tender procedures.
“The Ministry has already completed specification procedures and total needs of the ‘ambulances’ countrywide, but the procurement process is being handled by the Ministry of Infrastructure Development,” he said.
Contacted to comment on the procurement stages, the Director of Technical and Electrical Services in the Ministry of Infrastructure Development, Mr John Ndunguru, said the procurement process was underway but it had to be carried out carefully because it was not a simple task to get the recommended tricycles.
He said his ministry had to invite more bidders who would specifically procure the right tricycles, according to the infrastructural conditions in the rural areas.
“The first two bidders didn’t succeed to convince the tender board on the right sample recommended, we had to re-advertise it so as to get the right thing and eventually have at least 20 of them to start with,” he said.
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