GhArticles.com Every News in Detail
The Head of Dispatch for the Ghana National Ambulance Service in the Greater Accra Region, Joyce Avadzinu, has revealed that the region is operating under a severe shortage of ambulances, with only 42 available to serve the entire population.
In an interview with Citi News, Ms. Avadzinu explained that the limited number of ambulances has forced the service to prioritize only the most critical emergencies.
“We are managing because, with the 42 ambulances, most of them will be on cases at the time a request comes. So, if the case is an inter-hospital referral and the patient can wait, we will make them wait,” she said.
She further noted that dispatchers strategically hold back a few ambulances for emergencies such as road traffic accidents or sudden collapses.
“As we make the dispatch, we try to keep some so that when there is a very severe emergency, like RTA or sudden collapse, then we move them,” she explained.
Ms. Avadzinu added that coordination between dispatchers and ambulance stations is crucial to maintaining readiness for urgent cases.
“Anytime we move an ambulance, we alert the stations to be on standby. When they return, then we can move them. Although this is difficult, we still have to manage with what we have,” she said.
