Ambulance / Mobile clinic pilot project

Humanitarian expedition to Southern Morocco,
an experiment in "volunteer tourism"







The service life of an ambulance in Europe is about 10 years, then it is decommissioned and auctioned. If it has been well maintained, there is no reason why it should not serve a useful purpose for another decade. If an ambulance has saved, say, 1000 lives during the past 10 years, it could save another 1000 lives over the next 10 years. Our objective is to determine how used ambulances can be given a new useful service life and possibly offer free health services to people in less privileged regions of the world.

Inspired by the hospitable people of the Altas mountains in Morocco, whom we have been privileged to get to know during 4 decades, and by the volunteering doctors, by Les Rangs d'Honneur, and by Charity Rallies to Mongolia, we have bought a large ex-NHS ambulance and are launching a pilot project, consisting of one or several expeditions to Southern Morocco.

The challenge is to make it a sustainable project, yet offer free medical services. This is not a charity. A charity will always need funding, but it is better to create an organisation which can become self-sufficient. In this pilot project the ambulance will be fitted out as a basic mobile clinic, staffed by volunteers who pay their own costs and a margin towards the cost of the expedition. Of course we also welcome sponsorships and supporting members as a start.

People in remote areas are often poor and they do need our services, but they are also proud, and they will be happy to offer their hospitality to the volunteers and a great cultural experience in return. We call this "volunteer tourism" , and volunteers can experience the country and its people beyond the tourist trails. Beyond that, we hope that the pilot project will determine how the concept can be multiplied, and that it can inspire others to follow up and create free medical services in any part of the world.

Teams could be a combination of local and foreign volunteers and consist of: Medical doctors, dentists, nurses, medical students, assistants, local helpers, interpreters, drivers. Each expedition would be 2-4 weeks. Volunteers can join for a week or more, by flying out to the destination. Some would need to travel ahead to liaise with local contacts and pre-screen patients.

The ambulance can transport up to 9 persons in transporter mode, and within minutes can be transformed into a clinic (see photos). It is based on a powerful Renault Master chassis with a 2.8 turbo diesel engine, coachbuilt by U.V.G., which is certified to ISO 9002, insulated body, air suspension, air-conditioned, diesel powered heating, privacy windows, stretcher, wheelchair ramp, folding seats, piped gas, etc.

The ambulance/mobile clinic is a multi-purpose unit, possible uses are: patient consultations, minor operations, dental care, vaccinations, patient transport, educational unit...

Current status of the project:
We are currently in the process of finding volunteers in Morocco and in Europe, as well as detemining any limitations to what we are allowed to do, and to what extent permits are required for the proposed activities.

UPDATES Nov 2010 AND Feb 2011
The limitations were soon evident, as our journey has taken an unexpected turn. We arrived in Tanger port, Morocco, and after hours of being shuffled between customs stations, we ended up in their compound for the night, and were escorted back to the ferry to Spain. Ambulances are not allowed. No wonder there is a shortage of ambulances in the country. We saw two other ambulances in the compound. We are trying to find out why the ambulance was not allowed in.... anyone who has an answer, please contact us.

We are very sorry that this is a disappointment for a number of people who expected us in Morocco. The country and its people have a special place in our hearts, but of course there are others countries in Africa, which have a greater need for our ambulance project, and would appreciate it more...!

UPDATES 2011
We have received some opinions with regard to why foreigners are not allowed to help with ambulances in Morocco. One possible reason is the high profile royal project; according to the press article below MH King Mohammed VI is helping to set up health centers and giving ambulances to the rural areas. Of course Morocco is a rich country, but we wish it would benefit people in the more remote areas as well... this project proves that it is needed, and it is still very much needed in the south.

Our project has not been abandoned, but it needs to be revised ...

RECENT NEWS: We have been apporoached by organisations in Ghana, Nigeria and India with regard to the concept of ambulances used as mobile clinics. We are looking at various possibilities to bring this project forward. If you are a non-profit organisation in this field, please feel free to contact us.

For further details please contact us.
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Or telephone: UK Freephone: 0800 652 1255 - Spain (0034) 933 906 166 - Morocco 00212 (0)659 263 662 - Denmark: (0045) 46 963 963 - France: 0033 (0)4 6805 6571 - International: 0044 709 227 2402

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Additional ambulances are available if the project is successful...