St John receives K5mil support from govt

THE Government has given the St Johns Ambulance K5 million to support its operation and requested that it expand its service to other provinces.
Health and HIV-AIDS Minister Elias Kapavore said the Health Department had signed a memorandum of agreement in August to have an integrated ambulance service in the country.
“And as an ongoing support, the Government has paid K5mil from the Department of National Planning to the ambulance service,” he said.
“Pre-hospital care requires appropriately skilled people trained to keep the injured person breathing, the heart pumping and bleeding controlled before they reached a hospital’s emergency department.
“Many casualties of road accidents, domestic violence and birth complications pass away before they reach the hospitals. That is why in the agreement, all ambulance services will eventually come under the management of the St John’s Ambulance. We would like to see an integrated involvement of the three modes of transport.
“And I urge the provincial governors to see the importance of this agreement and get their provinces to sign up.”
Kapavore said St John’s Ambulance would be responsible for the pre-hospital care and referrals while the hospital emergency department concentrated on receiving and treating emergency cases and in-patients.
“It will take some time to effect this change. But I think, in the long run we will have an effective and reliable ambulance system nationwide,” he said.
Planning and Monitoring Minister Sam Basil also acknowledged the good work done by the St John’s Ambulance team and assured them of their continuing support.