1. Posted on Monday 14 November 2011 - 18:42

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   kaisa079

   

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   In October 2010, Tanzania conducted general election with the Chama Cha Mapinduzi’ winning overwhelmingly. The Party’s election slogan 'Maisha Bora kwa Kila m-Tanzania’ meaning ‘Better life for every Tanzanian.’ giving hope for a better life every Tanzanian, was the key to its sliding win. Well, majority of voters are women, so to them, the slogan simply meant better health care services for every one of them especially those in rural areas. After the election, the winning party's manifesto is implemented because the party that won the election forms the government. The 10th post election parliamentary session in Dodoma was engaged in discussing implementation of the party’s promise announced last year during the electoral campaigns; giving out the tricyclic motorcycle ambulances commonly known as “Bajaj”. The tricyclic ambulances, The Bajaj was one of the party’s strategy in reducing Maternal and neonatal mortality which is peaking in rural areas largely due to long distance pregnant women in Labor pain have to travel using bicycle or sometime walking to get the delivery services.
   
   Under medium term the Medium Term Expenditure Framework, the Government had allocated Tshs 3.2 billion for buying 400 tricyclic motorcycles, over budgeting the cost for each motorcycle of 8.0 Millions compared to small private comfortable Japanese made car which cost 5-7 millions and my most affordable and comfortable Nissan march only costs less than that. While the government plans to buy the Bajaj ambulances for Pregnant women, the very same government has allocated and already paid out – Tshs 90 million to every Member of Parliament for the purchase of 4-Wheel luxury drive gas-guzzling road behemoths commonly known as ‘Shangingi’. With more than 357 Member of Parliaments, that is a agitating Tshs 3.2 billion in all and on top of other shining sitting allowances. The 90 Million for one MP would even buy 20 Bajaj’s at a commonly known coast of Tshs 4.5 millions! Adding to the 400 Bajaj’s to buy more than 7500 Bajaj, if they were suitable for the rural at all.
   
   While the tricyclic ambulances are much better for our pregnant mothers in Rural area, they are not good enough for MPs, most of who ‘represent’ the rural constituents full of their mothers, sisters and relatives. The same MP forgets the difficulties they faced on rough, unpaved roads during electoral campaigns, possibly blinded by wonderful time in cities with paved roads, traffic lights and other motorist's luxuries. I think they deserved the ‘Bajaj’ type of vehicle more than our expectant mothers in rural areas. 
As a matter of interest, it seems that MPs have no option to reject the loan for the Shangingi... and they must, willing or unwillingly buy Shangingi, not cheaper types.
   
   Why Bajaj are not suitable transport in rural areas? much less ambulances for expectant Mothers?
   Firstly, The Issue of Safety; Since Bajaj was introduced in Tanzania, we’ve been losing our relatives and friends to Motor Traffic accidents even in areas where there are good roads, evidences by last years case of Mr. Chenge, a minister, hitting a Bajaj with his ‘ Shangingi’ and 2 people loosing life on the spot. It is considered that the Tricyclic Bajaj has no balance and its can easily turn upside down with a slight hit collision with another vehicle and worse enough, even the big road bumps. Even if the safety belt were to be used I don’t think its fair to tie a pregnant woman in a labor Pain with a safety belt or put a helmet on her head! Ideally, Tanzania is not suited for tricycle ambulances because of the extant infrastructure, including all-weather impassable roads.
   
   Secondly, is the issue of Privacy of pregnant women who are in labor pain. Will screaming woman in Labor pain scream all the way to the hospital in a half covered Bajaj?.
   
   Thirdly, is the issue of Emergency delivery services: With the small size of the Bajaj how will we equip it with emergency delivery kits? How about a delivery assistant or a midwife? Where will we put the Mackintosh cover to facilitate emergency delivery on the way to a dispensary?
   
   Fourthly, is the issue of Infection Control? How will a mother and Bajaj born baby protected from acquiring infections on the sandy Bajaj? Okay… let’s say she gets out of Bajaj to deliver on the sand, is the sand safer than Home?
   
   Fifthly, even if a pregnant woman is not in Labor, how can we prevent the risk of Premature Labor or Spontaneous abortion from the shaking movements of a Bajaj on rough roads? How can we prevent the accidents, as Bajaj are accident-prone? And what about the health hazards of smokes from Bajaj engine? .
   
   Again, Poor Infrastructure in rural areas, poor roads, poor bridges, Mountains pose significant risks to use of Bajaj, the question is who will move the Mountains in rural areas for the Bajaj to pass?
   Although transport is highly needed in rural areas, but riding an expectant mother in a Bajaj in rural areas, is riding for birth , at the same it time riding for death!
   

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Reactions

1. Posted on Friday 04 May 2012 05:21

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   LarryPage

   

   
   30 berichten
   Lid sinds February 2012

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   How did they built such ride? A motorcycle using three wheels? What are the Motorcycle parts that they've modified to do this?

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