Equip ambulances beyond stretchers and sirens - Ambulance Service

The Chief Executive Officer of the National Ambulance Service (NAS), Dr George Kojo Owusu, has called for increased investment in pre-hospital emergency care, stressing that strengthening emergency response systems is essential to improving patient survival across the country.

Speaking at the National Ambulance Service's 2025 Annual and 2026 Mid-Year Performance Review on July 7, 2026, Dr Owusu said ambulances must be equipped to provide life-saving medical interventions at the scene of emergencies rather than serving only as a means of transporting patients to hospitals.

He said the Service is transforming emergency medical care through enhanced training for emergency medical technicians (EMTs), improved equipment and faster patient transfers.

"Pre-hospital care begins the moment you dial 112. It starts with our call-takers giving CPR instructions. It continues with our EMTs making clinical decisions before the hospital gate. We are moving from basic first aid to advanced life support. That means training our medics to manage airways, control catastrophic bleeding, treat cardiac arrest and recognise strokes early," Dr Owusu said.

He explained that the vision also includes equipping every ambulance with critical medical devices and supplies.

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"It means equipping every ambulance with incubators, oxygen, suction devices, trauma kits and essential drugs, and not just a stretcher and a siren," he added.

Dr Owusu appealed to government, development partners and other stakeholders to increase investment in ambulances, technology and human resources to strengthen the country's emergency medical response system.

He also urged the public to call the emergency number 112 promptly during medical emergencies and to give way to ambulances on the road to enable emergency teams to reach patients and health facilities without delay.

According to him, timely access to quality pre-hospital care can significantly improve survival rates and health outcomes for patients requiring emergency medical attention.

MRA/VPO

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