Mumba Rodgers, an ETS rider in Serenje District, Zambia

Mumba has been an ETS rider in Nchimishi, Serenje District in Zambia, since 2021.

Mumba volunteered for the role of ETS rider as soon as the Transaid-supported MAMaZ programmes reached his community: “I became a rider because of the problems that are there in the community, mostly to reduce the deaths, and also to improve the issue of referring patients from the community to the health facility.”

Since then, Mumba has transferred ten patients to Nchimishi Health Post, including pregnant women and children suffering from severe malaria.

One story which has stayed with Mumba was alerting members of his community to the availability of the bicycle ambulance, which saved a pregnant mother’s life. Mumba had just left his home and was taking a walk when he found four men waiting around and discussing a pregnant woman who was struggling with labour. She had already been in severe pain for five hours and the men had been searching for transport for more than an hour.

Mumba asked them, “Guys, do you know that there are bicycles that have the purpose of referring patients who are pregnant to the hospital?”

They asked for the location of the bicycle and Mumba told them that he was the rider. Mumba called the custodian and he went to collect the bike. When he returned, he quickly transferred the woman, who was now in a critical condition, onto the trailer and brought her to the health facility.

Mumba cycled for one hour over seven kilometres to the nearest health facility. Mumba says that in her condition, she couldn’t have walked: “At any time she could’ve died.”

Mumba is thankful for the bicycle ambulance as it has improved the referral of patients to the health facility. He says, “the community is happy because it’s making the services very easy in terms of bringing patients to hospital.”

Nevertheless, Mumba also highlights the importance of access to spare parts for repairs: “The only challenge that we have is the issue of repairs. We can’t find spare parts in Nchimishi, we must go elsewhere. If we could find spare parts within the community, or maybe any programme could bring them in or arrange it, it would be a good idea.”

To support the amazing work and dedication of volunteers like Mumba, Transaid has returned to Serenje District to support ETS activities through bicycle assembly and delivery, bicycle repairs, ETS rider and custodian training, and conducting interviews.

The Mobilising Access to Maternal Health Services in Zambia (MAMaZ) and further follow up programmes were delivered in the period 2010 – 2021 by a consortium of partners and aimed to improve access to healthcare services and life-saving medical treatment in remote regions of Zambia.

The bicycle ambulance was established as an Emergency Transport System (ETS) in a context where there are limited formal ambulance services. Staffed by volunteer riders and custodians, they provide a vital link between rural communities and health services.

Download Mumba’s full story as a PDF here.