Likoma District Health Office (DHO) has received a boat ambulance, courtesy of the Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunisation as the Ministry of Health spokesperson Joshua Malango confirmed that there are four new boat ambulances meant for some lakeshore districts.

Likoma district medical officer Mathias Londo hailed the development as a faster means of serving patients on Chizumulu and Likoma islands. “Previously, we used to refer both emergent and elective cases on Ilala or any other boat at our disposal and this could take us about nine to 10 hours to get to the next level of care.” said Londo.

Sub-traditional authorities Mwase of Likoma and Kabuthu of Chizumulu islands said the boat is a faster means to hospitals, as prior to the development, patients had to wait for Ilala for a week to go to Nkhata Bay District Hospital or Mzuzu Central Hospital for medical service.