Southern Ethiopia Gwent Health Link

Having first seen the eRanger technology at the October 2007 Women Deliver Conference, Biku Ghosh FRCS, based in Wales and Coordinator of the Southern Ethiopia Gwent Health Link was eager to incorporate eRanger Ambulances into the service port-folio in Yirgacheffe and Alaba health centres in the SNNPR region, where the Health Link has been supporting health care improvements since 2000.

Ethiopians remain the least urbanised of African populations posing many problems for service provision and access, especially for healthcare. The Southern Ethiopia Gwent Health Link therefore assists the Ethiopian Ministry of Health's SNNPR Regional Health Bureau with non-doctor frontline health worker training and essential equipment and instrument provision to strengthen the quality of care available to rural communities in the area.

Of critical concern to health staff, community elders and patients has been the lack of safe transport and poor road infrastructure meaning access to health care has been significantly and continually difficult, and has often resulted in a fatality. Upon consulting staff, service-users and communities, it is believed that the incorporation of eRanger Ambulances, “…will make a huge difference in the outcome of maternal death.”

The Southern Ethiopia Gwent Health Link will purchase the 2 eRanegr Ambulances and donate them into the SNNPR Regional Health Bureau. One will be based at the Yirgacheffe and Alaba health centres, to be used for maternal referrals or to transfer other seriously ill patients. The Health Link have developed a Memorandum of Understanding with the SMNNPR Regional Health Bureau, Woreda Health Council, local health workers, local community leaders and the UK to ensure correct, effective use of the eRanger Ambulances.

Upon arrival at their intended location, Mike Norman will travel to Ethiopia to conduct driver and maintenance training for the eRanger Ambulances.