Zimbabwe’s emergency healthcare system is set to receive a significant boost as Discovery Ambulance Services prepares to graduate a new cohort of trained emergency responders, in a move aimed at strengthening rapid response and pre-hospital care across communities.
The graduation ceremony, scheduled for Friday at the organisation’s headquarters in Harare, will see the deployment of newly trained personnel equipped with critical skills in first aid, pre-hospital care and emergency response, key components in improving survival rates before patients reach health facilities.
Founder and Chief Executive Officer, David Munowenyu, said the programme is aligned with national development goals and aimed at strengthening healthcare delivery across communities.
“This latest group of graduates represents a new wave of emergency responders equipped with critical skills in pre-hospital care, first aid and rapid response. These skills are essential in strengthening Zimbabwe’s healthcare delivery system, especially at community level,” he said.
Munowenyu added that the initiative complements Government efforts under Vision 2030, which seeks to improve access to quality healthcare services.
“We are fully committed to supporting His Excellency President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030 by complementing all Government efforts in the health sector,” he said. “Our mission is to ensure that no one and no place is left behind when it comes to emergency medical care.”
He emphasised the importance of building emergency response capacity at grassroots level, noting that timely intervention often determines survival outcomes.
“We are building a generation that can respond when every second counts. These are skills that communities need on the ground, before an ambulance even arrives,” he said.
Discovery Ambulance Services is working in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Child Care Zimbabwe under the Presidential Emergency Medical Scheme to expand access to basic healthcare services.
“Our outreach programmes are designed to empower communities. When people are trained in first aid, they become the first line of defence in emergencies,” Munowenyu said.
Strengthening pre-hospital care is widely regarded as critical, particularly in areas where access to immediate medical attention is limited.
Munowenyu said the graduation marks more than the completion of training, but the beginning of a life-saving mission.
“This is not just a ceremony. It is the beginning of a calling rooted in courage, compassion and service. As these graduates go into communities, they carry the responsibility to act, to save lives and to strengthen Zimbabwe’s emergency response system,” he said.
Through its outreach programmes, the organisation has already helped equip communities across the country with basic lifesaving skills, empowering ordinary citizens to act as first responders in times of crisis.
