Blood sucking fears force ZA DHO to suspend ambulances
Zomba District Health Office (DHO) in collaboration with Zomba District Council has suspended operations of ambulances after 6 pm.
This follows an incident on Wednesday night in which one of the office’s ambulances was stoned.
Zomba DHO public relations officer Stein Seven said the incident happened in Mponda Village, Traditional Authority Ngwelero when the ambulance was ferrying a pregnant woman to Zomba Central Hospital from Nasawa Health Centre.
Seven said villagers, who included children, started stoning the ambulance on suspicion that it was carrying bloodsuckers. The driver of the ambulance escaped unhurt.
Eastern Region Police spokesperson Joseph Sauka condemned the act, saying it will compromise delivery of health service in the district.
He, however, assured that police are working with different stakeholders to revamp community policing forums.
In an interview, Zomba district commissioner Emmanuel Bambe said following suspension of operations of the ambulances, guardians will have to find their own means of transport to ferry patients to the hospitals they have been referred to.
But he hoped that the suspension will not last long, adding that the council has formed a task force comprising civil society organisations, National Initiative for Civic Education (Nice) Trust and other government departments to ensure that blood sucking rumours are tackled. n
