Assinie-Mafia, Côte d’Ivoire – A groundbreaking development in emergency healthcare has emerged a hundred kilometres east of Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. The introduction of an ambulance boat is set to transform the lives of residents in the region. Operating since early June, this innovative vessel navigates the lagoon that winds through the villages of the commune of Assinie-Mafia, offering critical access to medical assistance.
Among the 16 villages along the water’s edge, the majority have long been cut off from emergency care services. “We observed that more than 14 villages bordering the lagoon already had difficulties accessing healthcare,” explained Hippolyte Ebagnitchie, a local official. “The health centers, equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, were located far away in Assini-Mafia and Asswindé. It took between an hour and a half to two hours to reach them by boat or local craft.”
To bridge this healthcare gap, Assinie’s city council took the lead, funding the 76,000-euro ambulance boat. The vessel comes equipped with essential medical equipment, including oxygen, a defibrillator, and a heart monitor. It features four beds and can accommodate multiple healthcare professionals and patients’ relatives.
The introduction of this free-of-charge service has brought great relief to Assinie’s chief medical officer, Athanase Ané Assalé. He explained the challenges faced by the community prior to the ambulance boat’s arrival: “In case of emergency, one had to first find an available canoe that was not being used for another purpose. This search often took time. Moreover, there was the issue of negotiating the cost, as there was no medical staff on the canoe.”
Côte d’Ivoire boasts a vast coastline spanning over 500 kilometers, accompanied by several lagoons. The residents of Assinie warmly embraced the arrival of the country’s first fully equipped ambulance boat. Cathérine Djako, a local resident, expressed her gratitude, saying, “You can receive treatment while en route to the hospital. We are overjoyed, especially women, including those who are pregnant and facing complications that require evacuation or surgery. It is a source of joy for us.”
The boat-ambulance, named “My health” in the local Essouma language, proudly represents Côte d’Ivoire’s innovation and manufacturing capabilities. As the positive impact of this groundbreaking initiative becomes evident, the mayor of Assinie eagerly awaits feedback and contemplates commissioning a second ambulance boat to further improve emergency healthcare access in the region.
