The ambulance carrying Dr Stephen Ulimboka arrives at Julius Nyerere
International airport in Dar es Salaam yesterday, shortly before he was
flown out for further treatment.
Dar es Salaam.The leader of the striking doctors in the country, Dr
Stephen Ulimboka, was flown outside the country yesterday for further
treatment.Dr Ulimboka, who sustained serious injuries after being
kidnapped and beaten by unknown assailants on Tuesday night, left aboard
a South Africa-bound plane under tight security from fellow doctors and
some activists.
The secretary general of the Medical Association of Tanzania (MAT), Dr Edwin Chitage, told curious reporters gathered at the Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) in Dar es Salaam that their leader flew to South Africa for detoxification of his blood.
“Dr Ulimboka needs thorough screening of his body to ascertain if he has anything else in his body beyond the injuries he sustained; that is why we are taking him abroad for further treatment,” said Dr Chitage.He explained that they had raised the $ 40,000 (about Sh64 million) for Dr Ulimboka’s treatment in time, after mobilising health workers and well-wishers.“We, however, encourage other people to continue providing financial support as we are still unaware of how long he will be there,” he said.
Dr Chitage also insisted that the strike was still on regardless of Dr Ulimboka’s absence until their demands were met.The health of Dr Ulimboka, who was admitted at the Intensive Care Unit of the Muhimbili Medical Centre (MMC), had deteriorated on Friday.
An ambulance belonging to AAR which carried Dr Ulimboka made its way via the VIP entrance of the JNIA. However, the ambulance stopped briefly outside the entrance as it negotiated its way past the entrance gate.
A sea of doctors and activists dotted the airport premises with messages of support to their leader who was abducted on Tuesday night from the Leaders Club, where he had gone to meet a colleague, only to be located by a passerby at Mabwepande suburb on the city’s outskirts on Wednesday morning.
Placard-waving doctors and activists sang songs of praise to Dr Ulimboka, urging him to fight to the very end.
The executive director of the Tanzania Media Women’s Association (Tamwa), Ms Analilea Nkya, who was among the activists, lamented that the country was endowed with numerous resources, but only a few had access to them. She added that the public needed to understand the importance of the war waged by the doctors against the government.
Said she: “These doctors are fighting for our welfare; people need to understand that doctors are not after their own benefit, but are fighting for the benefit of all of us who have a right to medical care at affordable rates.” She challenged the government to seek an instant action to resolve the crisis rather than firing doctors.
For her part, Ms Hellen Kijo-Bisimba from the Legal and Human Rights Centre, said it was a shame to learn that the government had set aside enough money for its officials to get specialised treatment overseas, but failed to allocate enough funds to local health centres.
The secretary general of the Medical Association of Tanzania (MAT), Dr Edwin Chitage, told curious reporters gathered at the Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) in Dar es Salaam that their leader flew to South Africa for detoxification of his blood.
“Dr Ulimboka needs thorough screening of his body to ascertain if he has anything else in his body beyond the injuries he sustained; that is why we are taking him abroad for further treatment,” said Dr Chitage.He explained that they had raised the $ 40,000 (about Sh64 million) for Dr Ulimboka’s treatment in time, after mobilising health workers and well-wishers.“We, however, encourage other people to continue providing financial support as we are still unaware of how long he will be there,” he said.
Dr Chitage also insisted that the strike was still on regardless of Dr Ulimboka’s absence until their demands were met.The health of Dr Ulimboka, who was admitted at the Intensive Care Unit of the Muhimbili Medical Centre (MMC), had deteriorated on Friday.
An ambulance belonging to AAR which carried Dr Ulimboka made its way via the VIP entrance of the JNIA. However, the ambulance stopped briefly outside the entrance as it negotiated its way past the entrance gate.
A sea of doctors and activists dotted the airport premises with messages of support to their leader who was abducted on Tuesday night from the Leaders Club, where he had gone to meet a colleague, only to be located by a passerby at Mabwepande suburb on the city’s outskirts on Wednesday morning.
Placard-waving doctors and activists sang songs of praise to Dr Ulimboka, urging him to fight to the very end.
The executive director of the Tanzania Media Women’s Association (Tamwa), Ms Analilea Nkya, who was among the activists, lamented that the country was endowed with numerous resources, but only a few had access to them. She added that the public needed to understand the importance of the war waged by the doctors against the government.
Said she: “These doctors are fighting for our welfare; people need to understand that doctors are not after their own benefit, but are fighting for the benefit of all of us who have a right to medical care at affordable rates.” She challenged the government to seek an instant action to resolve the crisis rather than firing doctors.
For her part, Ms Hellen Kijo-Bisimba from the Legal and Human Rights Centre, said it was a shame to learn that the government had set aside enough money for its officials to get specialised treatment overseas, but failed to allocate enough funds to local health centres.
No comments:
Post a Comment