Emergency health transport

Providing innovative and effecient emergency care in the most challenging environments.

Making reliable, affordable emergency health transport possible

Most communities in rural Africa have no access to affordable emergency health transport.

Challenges include lack of access to the correct vehicles, lack of maintenance systems, under-budgeting and fuel shortages. Riders addresses these challenges, and can also help with planning and budgeting, assessing current ambulance fleets, and route planning.

Reliable, well maintained ambulances form the foundation of strong emergency referral system.

Women in labour were dying because of delays. I once saw a woman after the ambulance had broken down. She and the baby passed away. It still brings tears to my eyes. That won’t happen now. Now, anywhere in the Gambia there’s a working ambulance.

Che Jallow, Programme Director, Riders for Health, The Gambia

Using our systems, ministries of health are able to provide reliable transport to take patients to hospitals when they need to be referred because a higher level of care is needed. Our system of outreach maintenance ensures the ambulance is regularly serviced, no matter where it is stationed. We make sure partners always have a well-maintained, fueled ambulance as well as a trained driver.

Riders currently manages ambulances in partnership with the Gambian Ministry of Health and other emergency referral vehicles across our other programmes.

Without professional help, women give birth alone or have to rely on female relatives or traditional birth attendants, putting their lives in grave danger if complications arise. Women, particularly in rural areas, may live miles from any health centre…only just over half of women in Africa will give birth in a health centre.

Liz Ford, The Guardian, UK “Why do women still die giving birth?”

Get in touch

Contact any of our country programmes, or get in touch with our international team about working together, press and media, funding and more.

CONTACT US