Intermediate Modes of Transport
In many rural areas strong motorised transport is often unavailable or unaffordable by poor people.
More than 60% of people live in developing countries live more than 8 km from a healthcare facility and the need for timely and highly responsive healthcare services is made more urgent by the HIV/AIDS crisis in many countries. High transport costs and the absence of emergency transport services are a barrier to accessing health services for people living in remote areas.
Traditional methods of walking, using a push bike or rounding up an ox-cart to transport patients are often inappropriate and time consuming, which can lead to loss of life due to the delay in reaching professional healthcare. Research has indicated that a large percentage of the three mortality rates (infant, child and maternal) could be reduced by providing or supporting intermediate modes of transport.
Transaid is developing appropriate technology to provide innovative solutions. An initial bicycle ambulance project was piloted in Malawi and Zambia, and was rolled out to Eastern Province in Zambia in 2009. Transaid also piloted a motorcycle ambulance trailer in Nigeria to transport maternal cases in Nigeria where no emergency ambulance service existed.
Intermediate modes of transport are extremely important for people living in remote and relatively inaccessible areas and offer an alternative, low cost and environmentally sustainable solution that can be managed at the local community level.
*Transaid, Bicycle Ambulance Project 2008-2009 - Final Report
Current and past projects:
Malawi
- Malawi and Zambia, Bicycle Ambulances, 2003-2005
Zambia
- Zambia, Bicycle Ambulance Project, Sept. 2008 – Mar. 2009
