Mbarara, Uganda – In a significant boost to emergency response efforts, the ROSA Club, a member organization of ROSACU, has received a brand-new, fully equipped ambulance from the President of Uganda. This generous donation responds directly to the organization’s appeal, addressing the critical need for timely medical assistance and transportation of accident victims to healthcare facilities.
The new ambulance will enhance ROSA Club’s ability to provide timely emergency medical response and safe transportation of injured road users to health facilities, helping to reduce preventable deaths and disabilities resulting from road traffic crashes.
Expressing appreciation for the donation, ROSA Club Executive Director Mr. Sam Thompson Mwesigwa thanked President Museveni for responding to the organization’s request and for demonstrating continued commitment to improving road safety in Uganda.
“This support is a significant investment in saving lives. It strengthens our capacity to deliver timely post-crash emergency response and reflects the importance of partnerships in addressing Uganda’s road safety challenges,” Mr. Mwesigwa said.
The ambulance is equipped to provide advanced emergency care, including intensive care support during patient transport. ROSA Club will work closely with Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital and the Uganda Red Cross Society to deliver coordinated first aid, emergency response, and referral services to road crash victims.
Addressing Critical Gaps in Emergency Care
Road traffic injuries remain a major public health challenge in Uganda, where timely access to emergency medical services continues to be limited in many communities.
Speaking on the broader emergency care landscape, Dr. Hanington Muwaga, Orthopedic Surgeon, Emergency Care Practitioner, and Executive Director of Vision for Trauma Care in Africa, noted that Uganda’s emergency response system faces significant capacity constraints.
According to Dr. Muwaga, many health facilities still lack dedicated emergency units, essential medicines, and functional blood storage equipment needed to manage trauma cases effectively. He further highlighted that only about one-third of health workers at Health Centre IV facilities have received Basic Emergency Care (BEC) training, emphasizing the urgent need for greater investment in workforce development and emergency care systems. He also stressed the importance of strengthening data management and quality to improve emergency response planning and outcomes.
A Call for Continued Partnership
While the ambulance donation represents an important step toward improving post-crash care, sustained investment in emergency medical services, first responder training, trauma care infrastructure, and road safety awareness remains essential to achieving lasting reductions in road traffic fatalities and serious injuries.
ROSACU welcomes continued collaboration with government institutions, development partners, civil society organizations, the private sector, and other road safety stakeholders to strengthen Uganda’s road safety ecosystem and build resilient emergency response systems that save lives.
Together, through strategic partnerships and sustained investment, Uganda can move closer to ensuring that every road crash victim has timely access to quality emergency care when it matters most.