Japanese government has donated nine ambulances and eight fire trucks to Uganda, valued at USD 584,965 (over Ugx. 2 billion) to tackle the emergency and fire related challenges across the three cities and eight districts.
Uganda’s emergency medical services continue to face significant gaps. Recent data shows the country currently has around 278 standard ambulances, covering just over half of the national requirement. Health sector experts say this falls well short of the estimated 460 ambulances needed to ensure timely and effective emergency response across the country.
The donation is part of Japan’s broader Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP), which provides second-hand Japanese emergency vehicles to communities to strengthen frontline services.
During the contract signing, Japanese Ambassador to Uganda, Sasayama Takuya, said: “In Uganda, as in many rapidly developing countries, the demand for emergency medical transport and fire response services continues to grow. Through this donation, we hope to help bridge these critical gaps and support ongoing efforts to improve emergency preparedness.
“Through this project, we will provide nine second-hand ambulances and eight second-hand fire trucks to Uganda. We hope that under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Health and the Fire Prevention and Rescue Services, these emergency vehicles will be deployed effectively, used appropriately, and maintained sustainably for many years to come,” Amb Takuya said.
He added: “We also recognize that introducing second-hand vehicles comes with both opportunities and challenges. While they allow for the expansion of emergency fleets, they also require strong maintenance systems, technical skills, and long-term planning.”
The vehicles will be allocated to three cities and eight districts, including Kampala, Hoima, Arua, Wakiso, Kiruhura, Mityana, Lira, Kapchorwa, Sironko, and Busia.
At the embassy, Dr. Diana Atwine, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health, thanked Japan for the support, saying the new ambulances and fire trucks will be distributed to local governments and cities across Uganda.
“Every day we receive this kind of support, it strengthens the capacity of our emergency services teams, not only in Kampala but across the country,” she said
Dr Atwine highlighted the longstanding partnership between Uganda and Japan, recalling earlier support in Soroti, Jinja, Arua, Lira, Gulu, Mbale, Masaka, and Hoima. She also emphasized the importance of mobile workshops for maintaining equipment and vehicles provided under past projects.
“Although gaps remain across nearly 4,000 health facilities in Uganda, the additional fleet of ambulances and fire trucks will go a long way in bridging these gaps in emergency response and firefighting,” she added.
