
Staff Writer
GWERU — Mkoba South legislator John Kuka has called on the government to provide air ambulances to ferry patients in critical condition from Gweru Provincial Hospital to referral centres in Harare or Bulawayo.
He cited long travel distances and the shortage of local specialists as a major challenge in the country.
Raising the matter in Parliament last week, Kuka said patients from remote areas such as Mberengwa and Gokwe were facing life-threatening delays due to the absence of air transport facilities.
“Someone from areas like Mberengwa or Gokwe who is referred to Gweru Provincial Hospital does not always get to see a specialist doctor for conditions such as head injuries,” Kuka said.
“These patients often have to be taken to Harare or Bulawayo for specialist care.
“What plans does the Government have to ensure the provision of helicopter ambulances to airlift such patients in emergencies?”
In response , Health and Child Care Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora acknowledged the logistical challenges facing the health delivery system.
Dr Mombeshora however, confirmed that the Government had already secured six helicopter ambulances to strengthen its emergency response capacity.
He said each aircraft has a flight radius of about 500 kilometers and will be used to transport patients who cannot be moved safely by road due to the severity of their condition or the distance involved.
The Minister added that the deployment plan for the helicopters was already underway and that some institutions, including Norton Hospital, were set to benefit under the emergency air medical scheme before the end of the year.
“We expect these ambulances to arrive by December,” he said.
Kuka commended the development but urged the Ministry to prioritize Midlands Province given its central location and high referral load from surrounding districts.
The Mkoba South legislator said the introduction of air ambulances would be a “game-changer” in saving lives, particularly in emergencies involving trauma, stroke, and critical maternal cases where time is often the difference between life and death.