The Government has procured 161 ambulances at the cost of 10 million Euros for the establishment of the National Ambulance Service, Mr. Alban Bagbin, Minister of Health said at the weekend.
He said the Ministry would soon take delivery of 50 of the “well-equipped Benz ambulances,” being imported from Germany, and the remaining ones would be brought into the country by the end of the year.
Mr. Bagbin announced this when the Rotary Club of Westhoughton in partnership with Ghana Outlook, a charitable organisation and Sunyani Central Rotary Club, presented 80 wheelchairs to persons with disability in Sunyani.
Children aged between 6 and 14 benefited from the wheelchairs valued at $40,000.
Mr. Bagbin said that the establishment of the National Ambulances Service had become necessary because of the alarming spate of road accidents, and the attendant loss to the state.
He said the Service would help the health sector to respond quickly to emergencies.
Mr Bagbin said, the Government placed premium on the health of Ghanaians and would continue to put in place interventions to enable citizens to access quality health care delivery.
Mr. Bagbin expressed concern that despite a number of interventions to help the disabled to fend for themselves, some of them continued to roam the streets of Accra and other cities for alms.
He asked the disabled to engage in useful ventures, live productive lifestyles to be able to contribute meaningfully to national development.
The Minister advised them to participate in the on-going biometric voters registration exercise to enable them to take part in the upcoming general election.
Mr. Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister, commended the Rotary club for its contribution towards the improvement of the health sector.
He said the Government cherished partnership in development, and would continue to appreciate the contributions of development partners to nation building.
Mr. Nyamekye-Marfo observed that the region had benefited a lot from the Rotary club, especially in the area of education as it (club) continued to donate computers and other learning materials to some basic schools.
He said, two percent of the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies Common fund was allocated to the physically challenged.
Mr. Joseph Achana, Director of the Ghana Outlook, said the organisation was closely working with the donors to take delivery of 120 additional wheel chairs to be distributed to the physically challenged.
He observed that people with disabilities were blessed with talents, which when properly tapped, could help them to fend for themselves and contribute to national development.
Mr. Achana advised other development partners to help the physically challenged to become useful in society.**
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