Ghana’s President Warned: Don’t Abuse Emergency Services

BY ANIN AGYEI-

NEW AFRICA DAILY NEWS, Accra, Ghana- President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has warned the people of Ghana not to abuse the emergency health care system of the country which has been a major boost to the introduction of a single emergency contact number (112) as well as three hundred and seven (307) State.

Commissioning and distribution 307 ambulances under Ghana government’s flagship programme, ‘One Constituency, One Ambulance,’ at the Black Star Square, Nana Akufo-Addo said information available indicates that some citizens have been misusing the emergency service number, a development he says could in itself put the lives of other members of the state at risk.

“I will appeal that this improvement in the provision of emergency services is not abused. We are told that 90% of calls made to the providers of emergency services are usually prank calls. This is not right as it only endangers the life of many Ghanaians,” he stated.

Nana Akufo-Addo called on all the sixteen (16) Regional Ministers in the country as well as Metropolitan and Municipal Chief Executives and all health officials to provide the needed cooperation and support to make the operationalization of these 307 ambulances a success.

He also urged the National Ambulance Service (NAS) to ensure satisfactory maintenance of the Ambulances.

“The goal of this government is to establish a strong country and accessible healthcare system of world class quality which will assure the health and well-being of our people and I entreat all of you to be an integral part of this visions” President Akufo-Addo stated.

The Minister for Health, Mr. Kweku Agyeman-Manu said accessibility to healthcare will improve significantly with the deployment of one ambulance to each Constituency of the country.

He drew the attention of Members of Parliament to note that the ambulances being sent to their Constituencies will be managed by the Ghana Ambulance Service and none other.

He urged his colleague MPs to assist the NAS to serve their respective constituents.

The Chief Executive Officer of NAS, Professor Ahmed Nuhu Zakariah, outlined the components and detailed composition of each of the ambulances as well as the emergency services that a patient would receive once the emergency care system is contacted.

He indicated that at least 145 news stations for the Ghana Ambulance Service are coming onboard to add up to the existing 130 a situation he said is a welcomed development that will go a long way to improve emergency care service delivery in the country.

The NAS demonstrated to the admiration of the President, the Vice President and all the audiences, the Services they will be offering in a situation of emergency across the state.

NAS was established in the year 2004 as an Agency of the Ministry of Health. The NAS is a product of collaboration between the Ministry of Health and the Ghana National Fire Service of the Ministry of Interior. The role and responsibility of the NAS is to establish and operate a nationwide comprehensive pre-hospital emergency services.

BY ANIN AGYEI, NEW AFRICA DAILY NEWS, AFRICA CORRESPONDENT

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