New ambulance for remote Upper Watut

Captions: 1. Bulolo MP Sam Basil is made a chief of the Upper Watut people.2. Upper Watut villagers celebrate their new ambulance.3. Upper Watut villagers celebrate their new ambulance .4. The new ambulance.

Remote Upper Watut Local Level Government (LLG) in Bulolo, Morobe province, now has an ambulance to take sick people to hospital in either Bulolo or Lae.

The Toyota Landcruiser ambulance was delivered to the people by Bulolo MP Sam Basil amidst much celebration at Mainyanda government station on Thursday last week (October 9), and the very next day, carried its very first seriously-ill patient to Angau Memorial Hospital in Lae.

It is part of Mr Basil’s plan to have an ambulance in all six LLGs in his Bulolo electorate so that people can have access to health services.

He said Upper Watut was first, to be followed by Mumeng, Buang and then Wau Rural.

Wau and Bulolo towns already have access to health services while the last LLG, Waria, doesn’t as yet have a road.

Mr Basil told the people that last year, while on the campaign trail in Upper Watut, he came across a very sick woman named Freda, who was being pushed in a wheelbarrow.

He said he rushed Freda to hospital in Bulolo, and was so moved by the experience, that he made it a point for Upper Watut to be the first LLG to have an ambulance if he was elected into office.

That promise came through on Thursday last week.

“Upper Watut is the first to benefit from an ambulance and the other LLGs will follow suit,” Mr Basil said.

“This ambulance is a gift to you so that you don’t push a woman like Freda in a wheelbarrow again.

“This ambulance, however, is not to be used for drinking beer and carrying women around.

“Have a man of sober habits appointed to drive this vehicle.”

Mr Basil also announced that apart from the ambulance, a mobile clinic for all six LLGs would be launched next month.

The other good news he announced was that Bulolo hospital would have a doctor next year.

Upper Watut LLG president Waka Daimon commended Mr Basil for rolling out health services to rural areas as well as such things like road maintenance and VSAT telephone and Internet.

“We used to think that such services would never come to us,” he said.

“We have good roads, health services and we can ring anywhere in the world.

“I believe that we can achieve a lot more if we work together.

“My challenge to you, my people of Watut, is to remember that these things cost money.

“We all have a duty to look after these telephones, ambulance and other services.

“This ambulance must not be used to buy and drink beer in.

“It must only be used to carry sick people.”