A senior four student of Patongo Seed School has died after an ambulance transporting her to a referral hospital overturned in Agago district.Akidi Janet Apat died on Tuesday at Dr Ambrosoli Memorial Hospital in Kalongo, where she had been referred from Patongo health centre IV for further medical attention.Richard Okello, a teacher at Patongo Seed School, said Apat had fallen ill and was initially taken to the health centre for treatment ahead of her Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examinations, which began on Monday.However, medical personnel assessed her condition and determined that she was too ill to sit the examinations. She was subsequently referred to Dr Ambrosoli Memorial Hospital on Monday morning.According to Okello, the ambulance overturned at Olung Trading Centre in Lokole Sub-county as the driver reportedly attempted to avoid an oncoming motorcyclist. Apat sustained a head injury in the crash and later died at the hospital.Madeline Akidi, the school’s matron, who accompanied the student alongside two other attendants, was also injured and remains admitted at Dr Ambrosoli Hospital.Agago District Health Officer Dr Kimton Opiyo confirmed the accident, identifying the ambulance as registration number LG0069003, attached to Patongo health centre IV.The vehicle was being driven by Celestine Labeja Ojok, while nurse Richard Opio Okidi was part of the referral team accompanying the patient.Opiyo said the nurse sustained serious injuries, while the driver, who initially appeared to be in stable condition, later developed complications, including difficulty breathing.The two health workers were scheduled to be transferred to Gulu regional referral hospital for further assessment, including CT scans to establish the extent of their injuries and guide treatment.Opiyo said Agago has more than 43 health facilities serving communities spread across a wide geographical area, making ambulance services critical for transferring patients who require specialised medical care.He added that the district already faces challenges referring patients to higher-level facilities because of staffing shortages at health centres, including Patongo health centre IV.The facility has only one medical officer, one theatre assistant and one anaesthetic assistant, according to Opiyo.He warned that losing an ambulance would place additional pressure on the district’s emergency medical services and complicate the transfer of critically ill patients from remote communities to referral hospitals.The ambulance involved in the accident was donated by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in partnership with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).Following the crash, the district has only one ambulance remaining to serve its health facilities, further straining its capacity to respond to medical emergencies and transport patients requiring specialised care.The post S.4 student dies after ambulance overturns in Agago appeared first on The Observer Media Ltd.