By Prince J Musa in Kenema
The running of the National Emergency Ambulance Services (NEMS) which was initially managed by an Italian health NGO, Doctors with Africa (CUAMM), is currently marred by several issues since it was handed over to the government of Sierra Leone in April 2020.
The Ambulances allocated to Kenema, officials say, are currently not in operation due to several factors including the lack of fuel and nonpayment of salaries to the drivers.
One of the NEMS ambulance service drivers, who prefers anonymity due to possible reprisals against him, expressed dissatisfaction over the “poor management” of the ambulances. He said that they had not received their monthly salary for December and January. He warned that the government would fail if they did not treat the health sector seriously.
In an interview with Politico, the Kenema District NEMS Supervisor, Patrick Senesie, confirmed that all the NEMS vehicles for Kenema district had been parked tentatively due to lack of fuel to run them.
“We have decided to park them because there is no fuel to run them within the district,” he said.
He explained that government took full responsibility for everything about the national emergency ambulance services including the salary of the personnel since Doctors with Africa CUAMM handed over the entire running and management to the government. “As it is the vehicles are not running due to fuel shortage and we don’t want to risk the vehicles,” he said.
Senesie said the inconsistency of fuel supply started early this February. He added that the ambulances allocated to Boajibu town in the same district had mechanical issues that needed urgent maintenance.
He said they were ready as staff to continue providing emergency ambulance service for the people especially for pregnant women but that they needed fuel to be able to do so.
“We will not be happy as workers to be sitting like that but we are left with no option. When fuel comes, we are prepared to provide the services for our people,” Senesie said.
The fuel officer of NEMS based in Freetown, Patrick Kanu told Politico that management does place orders for fuel from Total and NP fuel stations upon the availability of funds from the government and subsequently allocate to the drivers across the country.
“When government disburses the funds to us, then we order fuel for our operations. As Fuel Officer, I do report the fuel issue to my immediate line manager, Lanslops Faulkner who reports to the Director of Operations National emergency ambulance service,”Kanu said.
Prince Mansaray, a civil society activist told Politico that they were in engagement with the management of both the hospital and the District Health Management Team in Kenema to know the problem of the ambulances.
He added that if the government should succeed in reducing the maternal mortality rates in the country, then the emergency ambulance services should not be treated with levity.
“Maternal mortality hinders the country's human development index,” he said.
He therefore called on the government through the ministry of health and sanitation to take the issue with utmost seriousness.
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