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The wreckage of the ambulance in which a nurse and a patient died after it crashed along the Roy-Chiredzi Road on Wednesday

Walter Mswazie Masvingo Correspondent—
A PATIENT and a female nurse died on the spot when an ambulance they were travelling in veered off the road and overturned in Zaka on Wednesday, police have confirmed. Acting Masvingo police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Kudakwashe Dehwa said the ambulance was transferring a patient from Chiredzi District Hospital to Masvingo General Hospital when tragedy struck.

Acting Asst Insp Dehwa said the Chiredzi District Hospital-owned ambulance veered off the road at the 53km peg along the Roy-Chiredzi Road at around 6AM.

The nurse who died in the accident has been identified as Julian Muziboye Shereni, 29, of Chiredzi, while the patient’s name is being withheld as her next of kin have not been notified. Their bodies were taken to Masvingo General Hospital mortuary for post-mortem.

The police spokesperson said the ambulance driver, Simon Jengwa, 35, of Chesvingo suburb in Masvingo, was seriously injured and is admitted at Masvingo General Hospital where he is said to be in a critical condition.

Jengwa sustained serious head and chest injuries.

“Our details are investigating the accident but I understand the damaged ambulance has been towed to Masvingo’s Vehicle Inspection Department for inspection. Two people died on the spot, an escort nurse and a patient,” said Asst Insp Dehwa.

“Upon reaching 53km peg along Roy-Chiredzi Road, Jengwa failed to negotiate a curve and he lost control of the vehicle and it veered off the road to the left side. The vehicle overturned once before landing on its wheels to the right side of the road killing two of its occupants instantly while seriously injuring the driver.”

The government has previously expressed concern over the increasing traffic accidents on the country’s roads, most of which are blamed on human error and the poor state of the roads.

As part of efforts to arrest the problem, the government has embarked on a major road rehabilitation and construction exercise that has seen activity at most of the country’s highways.