The Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB) donated three new ambulances to the Western Equatoria State health ministry earlier this week.

Speaking during the handover of the three Toyota land cruiser ambulances in Yambio town on Monday, the CMMB program coordinator in Western Equatoria State, Benson Wakoli, said the donation was based on the women labor program where they observed a lot of challenges especially in transporting delivering mothers to hospitals.

He said the three Ambulances will be allocated to Mvolo, Nzara, and Ezo counties and that CMMB will maintain the ambulances and pay the drivers through the state health ministry.

“Hon. Governor, allow me to say that apart from the ambulances, currently, we have construction moving forward at Yambio PHCC.  16 rooms of maternity beds and it is at roofing level,” Wakoli said. “In Sakure, the maternity construction is at roofing, in Yangiri PHCC the construction is also going on.”

He added: “We are also going to focus on Gangura and have some renovation in Basukangbi. In addition to that, we shall continue identifying some facilities which require expansion in terms of maternity and wards. Together with the ministry of health, we will make sure mothers access safe labor facilities in this particular state.”

For her part, the director-general of the state health ministry, Rose Obede Bara, appreciated CMMB for their support to health services in the state.

“Our able partner CMMB managed to sit down and write project proposals and now they have succeeded and we now have three ambulances. We are really happy and proud of you CMMB,” Director General Obede said. “I want to advise us as state ministry of health and the drivers who are going to drive these ambulances to take care of them, be kind, and to give positive service to our people.”

She said the ambulances are meant to carry patients and not for personal use or to ferry goods.

Speaking at the same event, the governor of Western Equatoria State, Alfred Futuyo Karaba, who commissioned the donation thanked CMMB and appealed to other partners to also support the state.