BY SILAS NKALA BULAWAYO City Council (BCC) and Harare City Council (HCC) ambulance services have adopted results-based financing programmes to enable efficient and reliable service delivery at the two cities‘ council clinics.
A BCC report indicated that the World Bank had introduced the voucher-managed results-based financing programme at Bulawayo and Harare clinics.
“The programme also included the provision of ambulance services for conveying patients to medical centres. Resources were channelled to the two local authorities through Cordaid and in terms of the agreement, resources were exclusively for improving health outcomes,” the BCC report said.
Cordaid is an international value-based emergency relief and development organisation, mostly working in conflict-affected countries.
“The salient features of this programme which was intended to strengthen the availability and utilisation of health services in the cities of Harare and Bulawayo were the timely provision of ambulance services as they were required to be availed within 20 minutes of the call, payment of US$30 for each call and the ring-fencing of this income and that 25% of it be dedicated to staff incentives with the remaining 75% going to the procurement of ambulance equipment and the development of ambulance infrastructure.”
“In pursuance of the agreement, ambulance personnel had been paid a total of US$3 689 out of the US$14 790 that had been collected. For ease of administration (the challenge of loose US cents) the allowance per individual was rounded downwards to US$59,50 instead of US$59,63,” further read the report.
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BCC said the programme would improve primary healthcare in the city.
“It was recommended that article 9 of the agreement be amended so that 75% of the fees are dedicated towards the procurement of ambulance equipment and development of ambulance infrastructure,” the report read.
Bulawayo deputy mayor Mlandu Ncube appreciated the Cordaid initiative saying the chamber secretary’s department must ensure that ambulances are properly equipped.
Councillor Sikhululekile Moyo said the department should install Google maps on ambulances for easier location of the points of call as this would be in line with council’s vision for a smart city.
“Thereafter it was resolved and recommended that the payment of allowances to ambulance personnel in terms of the agreement with Cordaid be approved, that the action taken in paying them a total US$3 689 in terms of the agreement be approved and that article 9 of the agreement be amended so that 75% of the fees are dedicated towards the procurement of ambulance equipment and development of ambulance infrastructure,” the report added.
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