Bolgatanga, Jan. 03, GNA - Personnel of Ghana Health Service (GHS) in the Upper East Region on Wednesday took delivery of four new ambulances valued at about 1.5 billion cedis at a ceremony in Bolgatanga. They were donated by Government as part of measures to beef up the National Ambulance Service and improve on the transportation of patients from deprived communities to centres where medical facilities are located.
Mr Boniface Gambila, Upper East Regional Minister, presenting the ambulances said provision of the requisite equipment for efficient health care delivery in the country's medical facilities was one of Government's major priorities. "The availability of tools would provide job satisfaction and motivate the few medical practitioners who have agreed to stay and work in the region," he said. Mr Gambila recounted the situation in the past when helicopters had to be used to air-lift patients from the region to Accra during emergencies at a cost of 5,000 US dollars per each trip, adding: 93The ambulances would help redress the situation." He warned against any misuse of the ambulances and said health officials or any ambulanceman found using the ambulances for purposes other than conveying patients would be severely penalized.
Dr Joseph Amankwah, Upper East Regional Director of Health Services who received the ambulances, commended Government for the gesture and gave the assurance that they would be utilized judiciously. He said the region had the highest maternal mortality and morbidity cases in the country, adding that the ambulances would facilitate the safe conveyance of pregnant women from the villages to nearest medical centres. Dr Amankwah announced that they would be distributed to Bawku Municipality, Talensi-Nabdam, Garu-Tempane, and Builsa Districts. He said more ambulances would arrive later in the region for the other districts. "For the mean time, old ambulances presented to the districts in the 1980's would be rehabilitated and utilised," he added.
