India donates ambulances to transport patients

INDIA has donated 10 ambulances to Papua New Guinea, four of which are already here to transport Coronavirus (Covid-19) patients to hospitals.
St John Ambulance chief executive officer Matt Cannon said the demand for ambulances had tripled because of people with severe acute respiratory problems seeking help.
Two ambulances were handed over to the St John yesterday to be used in the Covid-19 response.
Cannon said one of the ambulances would be sent to support the response in Lae.
“These ambulances will be (used) in the National Capital District and rural areas,” he said.
Minister for Health and HIV/AIDS Jelta Wong said the vehicles were the first of 10 donated to PNG through a grant from the Indian government to the United Nations Development Programme South-South development fund.
“The Covid-19 numbers are up and that’s why the ambulances are needed,” Wong said.
“They (other six) will go to the rural areas to (ensure) our people can get to provincial hospitals.”
He thanked India for the ambulance donation.
The PNG Fire Service will provide firemen to drive the ambulances with qualified ambulance officers.