ERCS provides 50 ambulances to regional Society branches

Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) purchased 50 ambulances and distributed them to six of the regional branches on the handing over ceremony held at the ERCS Training Center on 14 July 2017. This will increase the number of the Ambulance Stations to 360 and the number of ambulances to 435.

W/o Frehiwot Worku, ERCS Secretary General, urged the Branch Offices to do all their best in rendering quality services to the community on top of increasing the station and number of ambulances. The ambulances are already equipped with materials needed for pre hospital services. “Ambulances are basically bought by mobilizing money from the community through our branch offices. To this end, communities can buy Ambulances through self-help social gatherings like edir. And apart from overcoming financial  challenge, we have to also work on delivering professional and timely services – as this is a matter of saving lives”, she added.

The Society’s ambulance services which began in Addis Ababa in 1960 expanded to other major cities and later to various Woredas of the country being supported by professional volunteers in the field. The service is being provided to 400,000 beneficiaries with about Birr 70,000,000 annual budget allotted for the service by local governments and municipalities.