Out of the 18 ambulance stations of the Ghana National Ambulance Service (GNAS) in the Eastern Region, only one station is currently operational, with the rest broken down for several months.
The Eastern Regional Coordinator of GNAS, Michael Gaani, who disclosed this on Kasapa FM, an Accra-based radio station, hinted that GNAS is unable to attend to many emergency cases due to the poor nature of roads in the region.
He stated that some of the ambulances have damaged engines and are expensive to repair, adding that NAS is even indebted to its suppliers.
The stations with broken down ambulances are Koforidua, Kpong, Nkawkaw, Suhum, Kade, Kibi, Akim Oda, Mampong, Mpraeso, Nsawam, Donkokrom, New Abirem, Anyinam, Abetifi, Asamankese and Somanya. He explained that the best panacea is to replace the faulty ambulances by importing new ones, which must be done, at least, every five years.
A six-year-old boy over the weekend lost his life due to lack of ambulance at St Martin de Porres Hospital at Agomanya in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality, DAILY GUIDE has learnt.
According to reports, the deceased boy, identified as Adzokatse Elvis, was knocked down by a motorbike and rushed to the hospital on Saturday. He suffered traumatic brain injury (internal head bleeding), hence was referred to Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
But he added that because there was no ambulance to convey the patient for emergency attention, the boy lost his life.
The Lower Manya Municipal Health Director, Dr Akosua Owusu Sarpong, who expressed worry over the situation, explained that doctors in the municipality have been lamenting over the absence of ambulances in the district and its effect on quality healthcare.
In a reaction, however, Mr Gaani explained that GNAS was helpless when the distress call came to the control room because they do not have ambulances in the region.
He added that the only ambulance left which is stationed in Begoro was not in good shape to cover the long distance to Somanya to convey the patient.
BY Daniel Bampoe