Mbengwi Council Donates Ambulance to Community through Mbengwi Urban Integrated Health Centre

Mbengwi Council Donates Ambulance to Community through Mbengwi Urban Integrated Health Centre

The Mbengwi Council has donated a 4WD Toyota Ambulance to the  community through the Mbengwi Urban Integrated Health Centre. The official handing over of the car keys took place, Tuesday June 8th 2021 at the Mbon Motor Park, Mile 18.

Addressing the beneficiary population, Mayor Ndangsa Kennedy revealed that the ambulance was bought by the council to remedy the health challenges of the inhabitants of the subdivision, most of whom often find it difficult accessing various health units especially on ghost town or lockdown days and during wee hours of the night.

The Ambulance 

Madam Njah Delphine is the Chief of Centre, Mbengwi Urban Integrated Health Centre. Expressing her feelings to Mbengwi Online upon reception of the ambulance keys, she  thanked the mayor for "having very good thoughts about the people of Mbengwi in promoting the health system of the area"

Prior to the brief but symbolic event at the park, the council executive, some health officials and council workers had paraded with the ambulance at Acha, stopped at the Tad market that functioned that Tuesfay in Nyen before coming to end in Mile 18. At these various places where the caravan to show off the ambulance passed, it was presented as the people's property which they need to make adequate use of.

The Council Executive & Medical Team at the Mbon Motor Park

In explaining how the vehicle shall be used for the purpose it was bought and how it shall be sustained, mayor Ndangsa disclosed that there shall be a token to be paid by the patients, this purposely for maintenance and fuelling because according to him, "things that are free are often very destructive"

He went on to add that "The council is for the people and is thus going to subsidise the cost so that people should have a better living condition." As regards the management of the funds to be generated by the ambulance, he revealed that a committee will be created to ensure sustainability and maintenance.

Symbolic Handing Over of Car Keys

Elsewhere, the mayor's critics have been digging deep to know the total cost spent in acquiring the ambulance and source of the funds. Some have been debating on it being a second handed or fairly used vehicle. They even question why the choice of Mbengwi Urban Integrated Health Centre instead of the Mbengwi District Hospital under which all other health centres in the subdivision fall.

In this regard, quizzed whether the council shall be benefiting from the revenue to be generated by the ambulance, Ndangsa Kennedy said "The council is an entity on its own and doesn't need to benefit because the health centre benefiting is already the council and these are structures under the council."

Njah Delphine, Chief of Centre, Mbengwi Urban Integrated Health Centre

In continuation, he added that "It's our duty especially now under decentralisation that the hospitals have been sent under the management of the councils with other ministries. So that is the reason you see the council purchasing this ambulance and handing it to the health centre."

The municipal authority ended by reiterating his long call to  indigenes of the subdivision that left because of the crisis to return home because in his own words, "Mbengwi is a place to be, Mbengwi is calm, come back home and enjoy the services of the Mbengwi council."

Some months back, the council also bought a mini truck and named it Mobile Dustbin. It's since then till date being used almost on daily basis to clean the municipality. It moves through quarters and the main streets carrying away dirt from homes and the Mbon market/park area. The phenomenon of hips of dirt being piled in the market or at the park became a thing of the past ever since Ndangsa became mayor and initiated the idea of a mobile dust bin.  With the purchase of this ambulance now, it is also expected that patient's mobility challenges will now be a thing of the past.

First Deputy Mayor, Fonjong Doreen Anwi epse Agwe Pouring Champagne on the Ambulance 

Within its one year stay in office since April 2020, the current executive has been able to achieve part of its developmental plans for the municipality. However, the fate of some other projects realised by the previous mandate of erstwhile mayor Tebe Beatrice remain uncertain with regards to usage and sustainability. 

A modern slaughter was constructed in G.R.A yet till date is not being used. A feed mill was also constructed near the MECUDA head office in Mile 18 and the well equipped structure has been standing there doing nothing, not even now that the worst outbreak of African swine fever is putting pig farmers on bended knees as hundreds of pigs are either being buried or sold for prices as cheap as 2.500F just simply because they've been affected. Losses from the outbreak of the flu have been estimated to above 50 million within the entire subdivision.

Ndangsa Kennedy Akam, Mayor, Mbengwi Council

A bottle of champagne was popped and poured on the "newly bought" ambulance by the first deputy mayor, Fonjong Doreen Anwi epse Agwe while the second deputy mayor, Kadiri Amadu clapped in amusement. In the days ahead, a contact number to reach the ambulance in case of emergency shall be given to the public.

Though handed to the Mbengwi Urban Integrated Health Centre, the ambulance shall be serving all patients in the entire Mbengwi health district area that require it's service. This therefore means that the ambulance shall be penetrating even remote areas like Fringyeng, Zang Tebi, Tugi, Munam, Ngwokwong etc.