According to the District Operations Coordinator for National Emergency Medical Services (NEMS) in Kono District, Joice Senesie confirmed to this AIMNet Newspaper in an exclusive interview that out of seven ambulances in the district only three are on operations in the district. The four ambulances are in a complete state of shambles. The ineffective NEMS Ambulance services in Kono had hindered healthcare services in the Diamond Rich District.
She disclosed that four of the NEMS ambulances are having some mechanical problems which have seriously affected the operations of NEMS in Kono District.
"The National Emergency Medical Services (NEMS) is an emergency health program designed and implemented by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS), to straighten the National ambulance referrals system in the country by providing free pre- hospital care for obstetrics, pediatric, trauma and other medical emergencies in the country," she maintained.
The District Operations Coordinator for National Emergency Medical Services (NEMS) in Kono District, Joice Senesie explained that National Emergency Medical Services is operating in all the 16 Districts in Sierra Leone in order to save lives professionally and timely. She maintained that Kono District was allocated 7 ambulances by the government of Sierra Leone through the ministry of Health and Sanitation, which were posted in the various Chiefdoms in Kono District. She disclosed that Koidu Government Hospital ambulance service covers Gbense, and Tankoro Chiefdoms respectively. Sewafe ambulance covers Nimiyama, Goroma Kono and Nimikoro, while Kombayendeh ambulance covers Lei, Toli and part of Fiama Chiefdoms.
She also elucidated that the Tefey ambulance covers Sandor Chiefdom, Gandorhun ambulance covers Gbane Chiefdom also Kainkordu ambulance covers Soa, Gbane Kandor, Mafindor and party of Fiama Chiefdoms and a standby ambulance in Koidu.
She noted that due to the mechanical problems they have with the 4 ambulances in the district the management of NEMS has rearranged the operations of the 3 operating ambulances for the 14 Chiefdoms in Kono District to manage the present challenges they are facing.
She acknowledged that 3 ambulances could not adequately service the entire District. She reiterated that out of the 7 ambulances allocated to Kono District, only three are operational ambulances posted in various Communities. She added that the Koidu Government Hospital in Gbense Chiefdom ambulance, Sewafe in Nimiyama Chiefdom and the Kombayendeh ambulance in Lei Chiefdoms in Kono District.
"Tefeya, Kainkordu Gandorhun and the standby ambulance grounded due to the mechanical problems but management is working on it to fix them for operations" she pointed out.
She further explained the current challenges NEMS Kono is faced with which include the late referral from the PHU, TBA delay with patients.
The District Operations Coordinator for National Emergency Medical Services (NEMS) in Kono District, also underscored the successes of the National Emergency Medical Services (NEMS) since its establishment in October 2023. She intimated that Kono District had successfully attended 43 missions, 33 maternal cases and 10 other emergency cases. She said their operations had played an important role to save lives and also help to reduce the high rate of maternal mortality in the district. She assured that the management is trying to put things in place to ensure the ambulances are on good footing for its intended purposes. She apologized to the people of Kono for the mechanical problems affecting the smooth operation of the four ambulances.
The District Medical Officer, Mohamed G. Sheku expressed his dissatisfaction over the present situation of National Emergency Medical Services (NEMS) in Kono District. He said due to the inadequacy of the ambulance services had resulted in late referral cases at the Koidu Government Hospital.
"If someone is at the point of death and the patient needs medical attention what are we going to do? And most of the time people cast blame on us," he said.
He said that if the high rate of maternal mortality must be salvaged in the district the ambulances must be fit for purpose. DMO, Mohamed G. Sheku called on the Government and partners to address the issue of ineffective NEMS Ambulance services in Kono.
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