CareFlight Ghana, a leading medical rescue and service provider to the public, as well as the mining, aerospace, and oil and gas sectors, has become the first Ghanaian medical facility to be certified by the American Heart Association (AHA) as an International Training Center.
This certification allows CareFlight Ghana to offer globally recognised training in Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) for healthcare professionals, as well as CPR, First Aid, and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) training for schools and the general public.
In an interview with GhanaWeb TV on Thursday, October 9, 2025, the Medial Director, Issaka Yakubu Akparibo ,highlighted the significance of the achievement.
“CareFlight Ghana has been certified by the American Heart Association as an International Training Center. It is the first Ghanaian organisation to reach this milestone. Heart attacks or cardiac arrests can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time. Knowing what to do makes a huge difference. The chance of survival is much higher if immediate action is taken. Unfortunately, in this country, even officials have suffered cardiac arrest and passed away because bystanders did not know how to respond,” he said.
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Dr Yakubu Akparibo explained that the certification enables CareFlight Ghana to transform emergency response in the country.
“We can now provide American Heart Association training courses, including Basic Life Support and Advanced Cardiac Life Support for healthcare providers. For schools and the public, we offer CPR, First Aid at work and in schools, and AED training. This can be a game-changer in how emergencies are managed,” he stated.
He emphasised the need for Ghana to align its healthcare standards with global best practices.
“In developed countries like the United States and Europe, all healthcare providers, including nurses and doctors, are required to be certified in BLS and ACLS and to renew these certifications every two years. This ensures that the care they provide meets high standards. It is time for Ghana to adopt similar practices,” Dr Yakubu Akparibo said.
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He also called on regulatory bodies to make such certifications mandatory for all healthcare professionals to improve emergency care nationwide.
“The Nurses and Midwives Council should include these certifications as part of the mandatory CPDs. In emergencies, healthcare providers would then be better prepared, increasing the chances of saving lives. When emergencies happen in hospitals across the country, healthcare providers often do not know what to do, which reduces survival rates. Following the maneuvers recommended by the American Heart Association can increase survival chances to 84 percent,” he noted.
CareFlight Ghana provides fast, safe, and world-class emergency medical rescue through ground and air transport, along with excellent medical services, supported by its highly skilled professional staff.
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