As a part of UNDP’s commitment of ‘Leaving no one Behind’, the innovation lab of its Access to Information (a2i) Programme has officially handed over two low-cost ambulances to Research Training and Management (RTM) International in Cox’s Bazar on 27 June 2019. 

 “This low-cost ambulance will not only help patients, particularity pregnant women, in the Rohingya camps avail services of nearby hospitals but also save lot of money,” said Refugee, Relief and Repatriation Commissioner, Mohammad Abul Kalam Azad.

 The ambulances were purchased by United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to support their efforts at the camps. Research, RTM International is their implementing partner. 

UNFPA’s Chief of Health Dr. Sathya Doraiswamy, a2i’s representative Director (Joint Secretary) Md. Abdus Sabur Mondal, and RTMI’s Executive Director Syed Jaglul Pasha were present at the ceremony held at the Cox’s Bazar Circuit House.

“We have a district innovation team and we always promote any innovation that helps the people particularly the marginalised community to lead a better life. This ambulance will certainly add great value for Cox’s Bazar specially in the Rohingya community,” said Md Kamal Hossain, Deputy Commissioner of Cox’s Bazar, who chaired the ceremony.

An innovator hailing from Jessore, Mizanur Rahman, developed the ambulance initially. After winning in the ninth round of a2i’s Innovation Fund, the project was incubated under the supervision of the Innovation Lab to reach its current state of being a financially viable mean of patient transport. 

The low-cost ambulances have a base price of Tk 3.5 lakhs and the final price would depend on its retrofit of medical equipment. It can carry one patient and two attendants and is able to ply 25 kilometres for every litre of oil.

Lowered operation cost and easily available spares means that these ambulances can be used to transport people from marginal areas to health care centres or places where the patients can be transferred to more technologically advanced ambulances for longer travel.

With the support of the Cabinet Division, ICT Division, USAID and UNDP Bangladesh, Access to Information (a2i) Programme, through its Innovation Lab (iLAB), is working on low cost innovation for the citizen.

UNDP Head of Communications Md Abdul Quayyum, UNFPA’s Head of Cox’s Bazar Sub Office Ms Roselidah Raphael and Programme Analyst-SRHR Sheikh Md. Jakaria were present among others at the ceremony.