Cwm Taf PONT Appeal
For 13 years, doctors, nurses and midwives from across Cwm Taf have trained volunteer health workers and motorbike ambulance drivers to save lives in a region of eastern Uganda called Mbale through the charity PONT.
Now for one week from Tuesday 27th November to Tuesday 4th December 2018, all donations to the charity made through the Big Give Christmas Challenge website will be doubled to keep the bikes running.
The bikes were introduced when Welsh visitors to Mbale realised there was no ambulance service and patients were losing their lives because the mountainous terrain made it difficult to get to health centres and the hospital. They are part of a network of trained Village Health Team volunteers and they carry 4000 patients a year. Their priority is mothers in labour, children under 5 and people who have had accidents. Here is Esther’s story – Esther
Dr Geoff Lloyd is a GP from the Taff Vale practice in Pontypridd who was one of the founders of PONT and said: “ I have seen many times on visits to Uganda what a difference these motorbike ambulances are making. For a small donation you can save a life. The average cost of a journey is only £3 and the Big Give is such a brilliant opportunity to make your donation go twice as far. Every £3 will become £6.
“I’m proud of the part health staff from South Wales have played in this charity and I really hope patients and staff who are lucky enough to have access to healthcare they don’t have in Uganda will get behind us in this Challenge week – it will take many of us to reach our target!”
Over 100 Cwm Taf doctors, nurses and midwives have visited Mbale with PONT as well as many staff from the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust.
You can find out more and read stories about people who have been helped by the ambulances on the charity’s website at www.pont-mbale.org.uk/biggive or follow them on Facebook @PONTMbale
Why not put a reminder in your diary now to donate between 27th November and 4th December?
Here is the link to the Big Give information – www.pont-mbale.org.uk/biggive
