Posted on 07/13/2004 5:00:47 AM PDT by Clive
The Zimbabwean government, which faces acute foreign currency shortages and a collapsing health sector, has introduced ox-drawn ambulances to ferry ill people to health centres in rural areas.
The main opposition party said the introduction of the ox-drawn ambulances, reported in the government media, was yet another indication of the "continuing collapse of institutions" in Zimbabwe under the weight of President Robert Mugabe's mismanagement.
"Zimbabwe is being dragged back to the stone age," said opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) spokesperson Paul Themba Nyathi.
The ox-drawn ambulances come after the bankrupt state-run National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) reportedly brought back steam locomotives, which had long fallen into disuse. The NRZ could not afford to run its modern electric and diesel locomotives.
Themba Nyathi said: "As long as we have Robert (Mugabe) and his gang around, we will not only end at ox-drawn ambulances, but we will see further deterioration in all aspects of life."
State media reports said the ox-drawn ambulances are a result of an initiative by the ministry of health, and are based on the commonly used ox-drawn scotch carts for rural transport. They would initially be used in at least 10 district councils around Harare to ferry ill people to hospitals.
The state-run Herald newspaper said communities would take charge of the ambulances, while a cart minder would be responsible for management and maintenance.
Health ministry officials said the ox-drawn carts were an act of desperation because there was no money to buy proper equipment.
"At many state hospitals, the only drug you will find is paracetamol. An ambulance will thus be a big luxury," said one official.
"Maybe these ox-drawn carts will help in reducing people dying in homes."
"They will either die on their way to the hospital or on arrival. That will save the families of the hassle of transporting dead bodies to mortuaries."
But Health Minister David Parirenyatwa was quoted by the Herald as saying the carts would make a great impact in reducing avoidable deaths.
'Zimbabwe is being dragged back to the stone age'
'They will either die on their way to the hospital or on arrival'
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bad news; I think that would be dragged UP to the stone age.
Another country WESTERN LIBERALS ruined
I think they are doing a pretty good job on their own!
"Zimbabwe is being dragged back to the stone age"
Is that a big change?
Won't have to drag very far.
Yes well socialism does that. Something that the New Yorkers who vote for upChuckie and Hitlery are too stupid and self absorbed to understand.
Hmmm, looks like it could be a real Dar al Islam kind of paradise. How many mosques have the Saudis planted over there?
Why doesn't Mugabe donate some of his armored limos for ambulance use? (Yeah, right.)
They've brought back steam engines that haven't run in decades. How many of those are going to have catastrophic boiler failures in the next year? You can be sure no one has been maintaining them.
Zimbabwe may be dragged back to the stone age, but the citizens of the country wanted it when they kicked Ian Smith
out of office.
Bring out your dead. Bring out your dead
Or like Afghanistan "Bombed" out of the Stone Age.
Ah, lets all marvel at the modern Socialist Workers Paradise!
Next on the list, South Africa.
This is what happens when you let the lunatics run the asylum.
Incredible!!! The article says it all.
>>>This is what happens when you let the lunatics run the asylum.
Such are the perils of democracy.
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