The Association of Ambulance Professionals (AAP) has hailed the presidential motorcade for being exemplary in observing right of way for emergency ambulance vehicles.
Tom Kyobe the president of the association revealed during a regional ambulance professional’s training in Mbale that in may cases once an ambulance encounters a presidential motorcade, way is created for it.
"There is always a route opener, once they [presidential motorcade] realize that this is an emergency vehicle, instead of stopping you they will show you where to pass," Kyobe said.
However, some senior UPDF officers were accused of obstructing emergency ambulance vehicles with impunity.
The ambulance operators revealed that some army generals instead block ambulance to secure themselves the right of way.
"You find that there is a conflict, the ambulance man says I am taking a patient, the army operative also wants to prove that he is a big person," said one of the trainees.
Kyobe also expressed concern over the increasing number of private cars that arbitrarily use sirens to claim right of way.
"Government will also need to do something because you think it is an ambulance coming only to see a UBG... something," he said.
Mbale City Resident Commissioner Pamela Watuwa cautioned ambulance handlers against unnecessary use of sirens and use of ambulance for non-emergency activities.
"Ugandans have lost hope [in some ambulance operators]. When the siren is on, some literally refuse to give way because in their experience, some people use sirens to get out of jam," she said.
Ambulance operators were given PPEs in addition to being trained in various safety measures.