Tonga’s ambulance services receives timely boost from Rotary Featured
5 May, 2022. While providing recovery support, including the provision of nearly 600 Emergency Recovery Kits (ERKs), worth over TOP$0.5 million, the Rotary Club of Nuku’alofa (RCN) continues its regular support to the Ministry of Health, with a further two ambulances and equipment handed over today.
Worth approximately TOP$100,000, this marks a timely addition to the ministry’s ambulance and emergency services fleet operations.
The procurement of the two ambulances was made possible through the generosity of St John’s Ambulance New Zealand who provided the vehicles and stretchers at no cost, Swire Shipping (NZ) Limited who sponsored the shipping costs from Auckland to Tonga, and Rotary New Zealand World Community Services Limited who were instrumental in coordinating the entire project and vehicle delivery to Tonga.
Speaking at the event, at the Ministry of Health’s Administration Building, the Minister for Health, Hon. Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, welcomed the ambulance handover and commended Rotary’s continued contribution toward the Tongan Government’s health resources as the country recovers from a volcanic eruption, tsunami and Covid-19 outbreak.
“We are grateful for this significant gesture of goodwill that we have received from Rotary today and their ongoing assistance to Tonga.These ambulances will have a substantial impact on reducing the time it takes a patient to travel to Vaiola Hospital. The ultimate goal of this service is to help those in need of assistance.”
Dr Piukala also added that “This assistance is in line with the ministry’s strategy following the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak, to outsource the medical services to the Community Health Centres.
Normally, when people located in the East would call the hospital for emergency assistance, the ambulance would travel from Vaiola to the East, which took our team a while to reach the destination.
But I believe if there is going to be an ambulance based at the Mu’a Health Centre, it will significantly reduce the travel time to the destination where the help is needed.”
In handing over the ambulance keys, RCN Board Member, Dr. Amanaki Huufifalelotu Fakakovikaetau, acknowledged the coordinated efforts of RCN and its generous partners in New Zealand who made the entire project possible.
“Today’s handover marks another milestone for us at the Rotary Club of Nuku’alofa.
This is a really important moment and is a perfect illustration of how Rotary’s collective action and global partnerships have enabled us to support projects in Tonga that have a real lasting impact on people’s lives.
We remain steadfast in our commitment to work together to assist the local community in addressing their prioritised areas for improvement through on the ground support and funding.”
Dr. Fakakovikaetau also noted the ongoing support of Rotary to the development of the ministry’s dental services, most recently, to the ‘Eua Dental Clinic. This includes developing services to help children with hearing difficulties, and the Prosthetic and Rehabilitation Department at Vaiola Hospital.
Today’s handover brings the total number of ambulances that Rotary has delivered to the Ministry of Health since 2015 to five, in addition to a wide range of medical equipment, with support from Rotary Clubs in New Zealand and Australia.
The Rotary Club of Nuku’alofa continues to work with the world Rotary community, alongside its NGO partners and the private sector in fulfilling its commitment to serve the people of Tonga through its support to community groups, networks and organisations on their journey towards better lived realities for all.
