Shinyanga. Health officials have clarified that patients are not charged for ambulance services, but may be required to contribute towards the operational costs associated with emergency referrals.
The clarification was made on Sunday, July 19, 2026, by Shinyanga District Medical Officer, Dr Nuru Yunge, during the handover of a new ambulance to the Shinyanga District Council at Tinde A Primary School.
Dr Yunge said the ambulance would be used exclusively for emergency referrals, stressing that no patient would be required to pay for the service itself.
“The ambulance service is free of charge. However, patients may be asked to contribute towards the operational costs of emergency referrals. For those covered by health insurance, the applicable costs will be processed through their insurance schemes, while uninsured patients will contribute towards expenses such as vehicle maintenance, the driver's services and the medical personnel accompanying patients during emergency referrals,” he said.
Tinde Health Centre has been relying on privately owned vehicles, ambulances from neighbouring health facilities and the M-Mama emergency transport system for referrals since 2021, when its previous ambulance was involved in an accident and was written off.
The shortage prompted Itwangi MP, Ms Azzah Hillal, to raise the matter in Parliament, where she successfully lobbied for a replacement ambulance for the health facility.
Providing an update on the health centre, Medical Officer in Charge, Dr Evance Munisi, said the facility attends to between 700 and 1,000 patients every month. He said the centre currently has 28 staff members against an approved establishment of 52.
According to Dr Munisi, the health centre handled 156 referrals between January and June 2026, comprising 76 routine referrals and 80 emergency cases involving critically ill patients and expectant mothers.
Despite the improvements, he said the facility still faces challenges, including the lack of a perimeter fence.
Meanwhile, Shinyanga District Council Executive Director, Dr Kalekwa Kasanga, said the council now has three ambulances serving residents across the district. He pledged to ensure the newly acquired vehicle is properly managed, maintained and used strictly for its intended purpose.
For her part, Ms Hillal reaffirmed her commitment to improving access to essential services in Itwangi Constituency, saying the ambulance was part of a series of development pledges she had fulfilled for residents.
She said her efforts began with the construction of Tinde B Primary School and have now extended to improving emergency healthcare services through the provision of the ambulance.
Ms Hillal also announced that she had secured a drilling vehicle to support the construction of boreholes in schools experiencing water shortages, with Ituli and Samuye secondary schools set to benefit first.
She urged the district council to ensure the ambulance is well maintained so that it continues to provide reliable emergency referral services to residents.
