Gov't to establish a National Ambulance Centre

Government is to establish a National Ambulance Service Centre in Accra.

Mr Jake O. Obetsebi-Lamptey, Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chief of Staff, who announced this, said the authorities of the 37 Military hospital have already rehabilitated six buses to be used as ambulances.

He said this when he received the keys to a 130 million-cedi ambulance jointly donated by four companies to the Accra Sports Stadium Disaster Relief Fund at the Castle, Osu.

They are Ghana Breweries Limited (GBL), Mobil Oil Ghana Limited, Nestle Ghana Limited and Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Ghana Limited.

Mr Obestebi-Lamptey said until the establishment of the Centre the new ambulance would be given to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, the primary disaster treatment hospital, for use.

He said the government is overwhelmed by the magnificent gesture of the four companies and the response by institutions, organisations and individuals to the fund which has so far yielded about 1.7 billion cedis.

Mr Segun Ogunsanya, General Manager of The Coca-Cola Bottling Company who presented the keys on behalf of the donors, said they have become part of the society and therefore feel the pains and grief of the injured and the bereaved families.

"We deem it as our commitment to the country and the victims to share in their pains and grief hence the donation to forestall future occurrence."

One hundred and twenty-six soccer fans died on May 9 in a stampede at the Accra Sports Stadium when police fired teargas into the stands during a league match between Accra Hearts of oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko.