THE residents of Ituni were on Thursday in high spirits as a brand new ambulance was handed over to the community by Minister of Social Cohesion, Amna Ally.The availability of the ambulance will bring relief to the residents who were forced to provide their own transportation at a hefty cost to transport injured persons to Linden in the case of an emergency. The ambulance was handed over to the community at a simple ceremony held at the community’s ball field.

Present at the ceremony were: Regional Chairman, Renis Morian, Regional Vice-Chairman, Elroy Adolph, Deputy Director of Community Development Council, Sandra Adams, Deputy Regional Executive Officer, Maylene Stephens, representatives of the Ministry of Health, regional councillors and the donor of the ambulance Mr. Harripersaud from Trans-Pacific Motors Spares & Auto Sales Inc.

Minister Ally in brief remarks said that “today is a defining day for Ituni as the residents’ cries for an ambulance have finally come to an end.” The ambulance is the first she revealed to be sourced through the ministry’s private/public partnership. The ambulance was sought after the residents related to the regional authorities several horror stories of dealing with emergency cases in the absence of an ambulance. “Today your prayers have been answered…we do not want you to see it as a handout, it is your ambulance,” she said.

Minister Ally posited that it is the first ambulance to be gifted to the region from the Ministry of Social Cohesion. “Ituni you are part of history, today it is the first time we are making an ambulance donation to a region or community.” She urged the residents to take good care of the ambulance so that it can bring maximum service to the community and will guarantee them more donations from the Ministry of Social Cohesion.

Morian underscored that the need for an ambulance in the community has always been on the front burner. Now that an ambulance is available for use, Morian stressed that it is paramount that an administrative body be present in the community so that the use of the ambulance can be carefully monitored. Medic Lorna London, representing the Ministry of Health pointed out that the ambulance is an asset to the community because of the geographical location of Ituni, given the fact that it has a mobile population of loggers, miners and bauxite workers.

The ambulance is equipped with every apparatus needed to stabilise a patient until they reach the next available hospital. She also encouraged the residents to not misuse and abuse the ambulance as it was brought to save lives.

Donor of the ambulance, Harripersaud Ransewack said that the donation was made out the belief that as a businessman he should give back to the community. He revealed that he has been making several donations across the country especially to children. “We want to give back to our people and I am very happy and proud to make this donation to the Ministry of Health and I am happy to be here today, this is a fully loaded ambulance and it is good for the terrain of the area as well,” Ransewack said.

Medic Mayglen Pluck, who is currently the only medic stationed at the Ituni health post also expressed gratitude for the ambulance citing the difficulty in dealing with a patient having to be transported immediately. She said that what is needed now is a trained ambulance attendant and a driver who is trained in first aid delivery.

Residents expressed gratitude for the ambulance as they were forced to pay $30,000 for a sick person to be transported to Linden in the eventuality of an emergency on private transportation. “We had to use a mini bus and with the condition of the road instead of getting better, getting worst, by the time you reach Linden so it is very very good that we get this ambulance; it will benefit everyone in this community,” Carmain Cox, a resident of Ituni said.