However, undeterred by geographical barriers that characterize Nepal´s topography, the Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) has been operating rickshaws in the form of ambulances to rush patients to health centers at Chulachuli Village Development Committee (VDC) in Chure region of Illam district. The service is being run in ward number 2, 5, 7 and 8 of Chulachuli since the last three years. Each ward has been provided a rickshaw by the NRCS and a 13-member committee from the local community is formed to regulate its operations. The rickshaw ambulance doesn´t charge the patients for its service.
Each ambulance has 25 volunteers to take the patients to the health centers or hospitals. The volunteers have received basic training in primary health care from NRCS and also been given required materials to attend to the patients in case of emergency. The nearest hospital from the village is in Damak, Jhapa.
“Rickshaw ambulance has proved extremely useful. It has even made rescue work during natural disasters easier,” said Uddhav Poudel, a local. Though the “rickshaw ambulance” doesn´t have as much facilities as a conventional ambulance, it still has arrangement for a patient to sleep and be accompanied by an attendant.
“The concept has proved effective,” said chief of the disaster risk minimization program of the NRCS Man Bahadur Singh, adding, “We are preparing introduce the concept in other VDCs also that do not have access to transportation facilities.” Singh said rickshaw ambulance services will also be introduced in Danabari 7 and 8, and ward numbers 1 and 3 of Chulachuli by the year 2009.
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