The next ambulance siren you hear wailing down Al Mukarama street in Mogadishu may just be a motorcycle. Bisha Caas’s the Somali Red Crescent Society (SRCS), has added four motorcycle ambulances to their emergency response fleet in Mogadishu. The bikes which will be manned by two SRCS responders come fitted with a sidecar, a one-wheeled device attached to the side, providing room to ferry an additional person. The motorcycles are aimed at reducing the response time as they can easily navigate the city’s side roads and weave through Mogadishu’s traffic snarl-ups.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and SRCS have been working together to ensure that casualties of incidents such as explosions and shoot-outs in Somalia’s capital can receive quality medical help quickly. By using the toll-free number, 446, any resident within the capital can call for an ambulance and the dispatch centre will coordinate a response.

In addition, regular first-aid trainings are provided for residents of the city who would be the first responders in case of an incident and provide the basic level of care before the ambulance teams show up. The ICRC also supports two hospitals in Mogadishu with medical supplies and surgical training as well as a physical rehabilitation centre for patients who may develop mobility issues.

Source: ICRC