Police have said they are launching operations targeting private ambulances that they say are being used for other purposes other than transporting patients to and from hospitals.
Addressing journalists on Monday, police spokesperson said because of the increased number of private ambulances, especially ones by politicians, their drivers have started using them for their own selfish gains.
“The ambulances, especially the private ones are being used to ferry passengers. You find an ambulance moving at night and thinking it is carrying a patient yet it is transporting revelers from bars during curfew time,”Enanga said.
He added that on other occasions, ambulances are used to transport smuggled goods especially from the country’s border at Busia to the central business district at Arua Park, Nebbi Park and Mini Price.
The police spokesperson said security is soon launching an operation to crack down on errant drivers who abuse the ambulances by using them for their own selfish gains.
“The owners of the ambulances, especially the private ones should find ways of monitoring their activities. They can install CCTV cameras to monitor what is going. However, we are soon intercepting them .”
Past incidents
Police’s warning comes on the backdrop of incidents in which several ambulances have been found carrying passengers, especially during the Coronavirus lockdown in which government banned both private and public transport means to avoid the spread of the virus.
In April 2020, police at Wandegeya intercepted two ambulances ferrying passengers to Kanungu.
The two ambulances were belonging to registration numbers UAB 355Z and UAH 832W belonging to Revival Fire Ministries.
The Police director for health services in March this year expressed concern that some of the force’s drivers use ambulances for illegal businesses.