NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Friday, July 24, 2015

The Bright Generation Community Foundation (BGCF), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has scored a first in its effort to utilise locally available and sustainable materials to manufacture an easier means of transport for the health sector.

The NGO has presented two bamboo bicycle ambulances to the Dawea Community Health Center in the Sekyere Afram Plains District.

It is part of efforts to help reduce maternal mortality in deprived communities, while promoting the bamboo bike ambulance as a viable means of emergency transport.

The project, which is being sponsored by the AU Fund for African Women, seeks to reduce maternal and infant mortalities in the beneficiary deprived communities, while facilitating community health workers in transporting their patients, as per their healthcare objectives, and to provide a source of local affordable medical transport for maternal health organisations, aid agencies and communities.

Ms. Mabel Suglo, Programmes Coordinator, explained that the NGO seeks to help to reduce the delay and cost of transportation in deprived communities to ensure better access for expectant mothers, especially, to local health facilities, by using and adapting the bamboo bicycle ambulances.

Ms. Suglo revealed that research had shown that approximately 80 per cent of maternal deaths in Ghana, like other developing countries which have high maternal mortality rates, could be prevented if women had access to essential maternity and basic healthcare services.