Lilongwe, April 1: National AIDS Commission (NAC) on Tuesday donated six motor cycle ambulances to Malawi Prison Service (MPS) worthy K15 million to assist ferrying inmates who require special medical treatment in district and referral hospitals.
Speaking when donating the ambulances, chairperson for NAC Board of Commissioners, Mara Kumbweza Banda said the commission was aware of the severe shortage of ambulances in prisons and that the ambulances will ease transport challenges in referring sick inmates to district and referral hospitals.
Kumbweza Banda said, “NAC realizes and understands the challenges the MPS face in trying to care for the inmates more especially those that fall sick and require specialized attention at the district and any referral hospitals.”
She said the commission observes that in some instances prisoners have to carry their sick colleagues on stretchers and travel long distances to reach district hospitals for special treatment.
“These ambulances are appropriate because they are cost effective in terms of maintenance, running costs and they are also fit to travel even in areas with difficult road infrastructure and terrain,” she explained.
Kumbweza Banda urged MPS officials to make good use of the ambulances and not to divert them for other uses.
Chief Commissioner of the Malawi Prisons Service, Kennedy Nkhoma said the ambulances will be given to prison stations where there are no ambulances.
”Most prison stations have no reliable transport to take sick inmates to district and referral hospitals and the distances are also long,” explained Nkhoma adding that the donation will enhance delivery of health services.
He assured NAC officials that the ambulances will be properly taken care of and only be used for intended purposes and he warned MPS officials that disciplinary measures will be taken for those found using the ambulances for their own use.
Nkhoma expressed his worries on the ceased funding from Global Fund to NAC saying that this will paralyse some of their works at MPS as they work together with NAC to address HIV and AIDS in the country’s prisons.
He then asked NAC to continue giving them grants with the assistance they get from other donors.
MPS is one of the organizations who have been receiving grants from NAC. The Motor Cycle Ambulances were purchased by NAC in collaboration with MPS.
