Freeman Razemba
Senior Reporter
In a bid to quickly attend to road traffic accident victims and reduce carnage this festive season, Government and its partners have deployed ambulances at 27 major hotspots countrywide with air ambulances on standby in Harare and Bulawayo.
This comes after more than 400 ambulances were recently deployed nationwide to respond to road traffic accidents during the festive season.
These were the standard ambulances at hospitals and districts that are deployed for any medical emergency.
Of the deployed ambulances, 27 are state-of-the-art units stationed at identified accident hotspots along major highways.
The remainder are on standby across the country to attend to any incidents including traffic accidents, while a dedicated 24/7 toll-free emergency number, 591, has been activated.
The initiative was unveiled recently during the launch of the Festive Season Road Safety Campaign at Gosha Primary School near Juru Business Centre.
Government is also working towards establishment and implementation of a historic post-crash management system after on June 3, 2025, Cabinet approved the Memorandum of Principles for the Road Accident Fund Bill.
The Bill seeks to establish a stand-alone Road Accident Fund, which is an integral pillar of road traffic safety.
The post-crash management framework will ensure that accident victims receive medical care within the first 60 minutes (golden hour) of a road traffic accident, hence increasing their chances to survive.
The fund will provide immediate recourse to medical and funeral expenses and enhance the capacity of emergency services providers and medical institutions to effectively respond to road accidents to save lives.
The Fund will alleviate the financial burden on victims and their families, promoting recovery and stability in their lives. In the main, it will be funded from 35 percent of the Third Party Motor Vehicle Insurance, augmented by other funds appropriated by the Treasury.
In a statement, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development confirmed that they had since identified the hotspots areas and deployed some of the ambulances.
“Guided by the policy direction of His Excellency, the President, Cde ED Mnangagwa, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development is pleased to announce that through the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe, we have identified the major accident hot spots in Zimbabwe and deployed ambulances closer to those points.
“We want to thank partners who have come through key amongst which is ICZ and we advise that the contact numbers are 591 and 911 for Discovery Ambulances,” said the ministry.
Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona said Government had approved a short-term framework to place ambulances equipped with medical supplies and personnel at all tollgates and accident-prone areas during this high-risk period.
“In that vein, the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe has hired ambulances for that purpose,” he said.
The council would work closely with the Civil Protection Unit, the Ministry of Health and Child Care, and the Zimbabwe Republic Police to ensure the swift evacuation of casualties to medical facilities.
Discover Ambulances have deployed ambulances in Chiredzi, Beitbrige, 22 Miles, Murehwa, Jerera, Mudzi, Makuti, Hwedza, Jerera, Makuti, Mvuma and Juliasdale.Discovery Ambulances CEO David Mudowenyu said he was happy to partner the Government in reducing road carnage during and after the festive season.
“As the CEO and Founder of Discovery Ambulance Services, I am proud to reaffirm our unwavering commitment to the people of Zimbabwe. This strengthened partnership with the Government of Zimbabwe and the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe underscores our shared mission: to save lives, enhance emergency response, and keep communities safe during the festive season and beyond.’’
TSCZ managing director, Mr Munesu Munodawafa, said ambulances had been dispatched to areas as far as Beitbridge.
“We have ambulances in Hwedza, 22 Miles, Beitbridge, Chiredzi, among others. What is interesting to note is that hotspots that have a high frequency of accidents, like Makuti in Karoi, Mashonaland West and Connemara in Midlands, have a dedicated ambulance so that if anything happens, emergency medical teams respond fast.”
Meanwhile, Air ambulances are also on standby this festive season.
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