NAIROBI, Africa — An impoverished African town is using modified wheelbarrows to speed pregnant women to the hospital.
The wheelbarrows, outfitted with a battery-powered siren and bedding, are part of a campaign to reduce maternal mortality in Kibera, the poorest neighborhood in Nairobi, Voice of America reports.
The campaign, called “Stand up for African Mothers”, is part of the African Medical Research Foundation’s efforts to bring quality care to the impoverished region.
For some residents, the wheelbarrows have relived concerns about getting medical attention during birth.
“The wheelbarrow ambulance is actually good, because cars and conventional ambulances cannot access my house,” Agina Agina, a 28-year-old pregnant woman, said. “Once I go into labor, the wheelbarrow can be here in minutes to take me to the clinic.”
Kibera has four wheelbarrow ambulances in operation, and health workers periodically conduct simulation runs with pregnant residents.