The ambulances being assembled to be shipped to Ghana. 48 of them are already in.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said the 300 ambulances he promised during the 2016 campaign to be delivered to every constituency have started arriving in the country.
Speaking at the induction of some 378 newly trained medical doctors in Accra yesterday, the President said the first batch of 48 ambulances is already in the country, and the rest are expected to follow next month.
“The first batch of 48 ambulances out of the 300 procured by my government for distribution for each of the 275 constituencies i.e one constituency, one ambulance, and to the National Ambulance Service has arrived in the country, with the second batch due in Ghana by the first week in October. By the end of this year, they will all be in,” he said.
The President was concerned that doctors continue to reject postings to rural areas and said it is affecting quality healthcare delivery in the country.
“Our medical schools have got a good reputation and have been training good doctors and dentists. However, the doctor dentist population ratio in our country remains very unsatisfactory after 62 years of nation in our regions, districts and deprived communities, especially for the newly created regions and districts.”
The induction of new medical doctors was held in honour of Dr. Emmanuel Evans-Anfom, the second Chairman of the Medical and Dental Council (M & DC) of Ghana (from 1979-1984), a man the council described as ‘a patriot and an icon of the medical profession.’
The President encouraged newly inducted doctors to follow the exemplary life of Dr. Evans-Anfom and accept postings to deprived areas where their services are needed most.
“I’m determined to work to help ensure that these improvements we all want in our lives become reality,” he stressed, insisting that “government is committed to improving access to essential and Quality Health Services through the provision of the necessary health infrastructure, equipment and logistics including the deployment of appropriate technology as part of our drive to attain Universal Health coverage.”
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent