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The country's emergency healthcare system is expected to see massive improvement with the release of some 307 ambulances at a ceremony filled with pomp and pageantry at the Black Star Square yesterday.
A total of 4000 new jobs are expected to be created with the move, as clearance has been given for Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) staff and training across the country.
The commissioning was performed by President Nana Akufo-Addo, and was part of his party's 2016 manifesto that promised to acquire an ambulance for each constituency in all regions of the country. The event was well-attended, with members of parliament, ministers of state and the Vice President in attendance. Minister of Health, Mr. Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, appeared greatly relieved and said "Today, I'll sleep" - much to the amusement of all gathered.And why not?! The delivery of 307 ambulances represents the single highest fleet ever procured in the history of the country - and probably the highest on the entire continent of Africa, according to CEO of the National Ambulance Service, Professor Ahmed Nuhu Zakaria.
This means all the country's 275 constituencies will be provided with an ambulance to improve healthcare delivery in the country, and this is well-deserved for Ghanaians who have long been confronted with inadequate healthcare delivery; particularly in the rural areas of the country.
Furthermore, the new emergency number of ambulance service was announced at the durbar and simulation exercise, to demonstrate how the emergency response services will react promptly to distress calls.
Government needs to be highly commended for procuring as many as 307 ambulances to distribute for every constituency, since it is quite novel that at one-go so many ambulances have been secured. We also entreat the Ghana Health Service to ensure the ambulances are maintained properly and the proverbial Ghanaian maintainance culture is not displayed, since they were procured at a high cost to the state using taxpayer's funds.
This is definitely a step in the right direction. However, ambulances don't operate in a vacuum. Good motorable roads are required together with attendant beds at the hospitals. We are hopeful that Mr. Agyeman-Manu won't sleep too deeply, and ensure that these are also attended to.
