The ambulances will help improve access to healthcare as well as strengthen disease surveillance and case management against infectious diseases such as cholera, an outbreak of which Zimbabwe has been fighting for more than a year.

The remoteness of some communities in the province and the poor state of the roads – worsened by the floods and landslides caused by Cyclone Idai in 2019 – has made it challenging to access health services. Four-wheel drive ambulances that can maneuver Manicaland Province's steep roads, even in wet conditions, will improve the ability to transfer patients to hospitals.

“I am convinced that this project will contribute greatly to the Ministry’s efforts to improve emergency medical services in Manicaland Province and achieve universal health coverage so that no one is left behind,” said H. E. Shinichi Yamanaka, Japan's Ambassador to Zimbabwe.

Chipinge District Hospital, which serves a population of more than 410,000 people, received the third ambulance of the fleet. Previously, Hauna Hospital and Chikore Mission both received an ambulance as part of the project.

“Procurement is more than supplying goods and services. It is about ensuring that partners have the resources they need to achieve their development goals, and if done well, seizing it as an opportunity to maximize impact on the people they serve," said Clement Mhlanga, Officer in Charge a.i. of UNOPS in Zimbabwe.

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