The wrecked van donated to the Ga South Municipal Hospital
An ambulance donated to the Ga South Municipal Hospital, popularly called ‘Akawe,’ by Obuobia Darko-Opoku, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate for Weija-Gbawe Constituency, has been involved in an accident.
The accident occurred at the main Zoti traffic light intersection along the Korle Bu mortuary road Wednesday around 8:30pm.
At the time of the incident, two pregnant women were on board the vehicle together with the driver, a medical orderly and two other midwives from Akawe Hospital.
The pregnant women had apparently been referred to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH).
According to eyewitness account, which has been corroborated by police sources, the driver of the vehicle was on top speed and sounded the siren to signal other vehicles to give way, but an adamant driver of an oncoming a towing vehicle crossed the ambulance. The driver of the ambulance rammed the towing vehicle as a result.
All five passengers on board the vehicle, including the two pregnant women, were said to have sustained minor injuries, according to reports.
Sources said it took the intervention of other road users to hurriedly arrange for some taxis to transport the pregnant women and other occupants of the vehicle to Korle Bu Hospital.
One of the pregnant women was said to have delivered upon arrival at the hospital out of shock.
The absence of Obuobia’s ambulance, which has been adorned with her picture and colours of the NDC party, is likely to negatively affect the operations of the hospital.
Interesting, a similar gesture by the incumbent NPP Member of Parliament for the area, Rosemond Abrah was rejected by management of the hospital for unexplained reasons.
The hospital authorities allegedly declined the offer because the ambulance was likely to be branded with the pictures of the NPP parliamentary candidate, Tina Mensah.
This caused confusion in the area because some could not fathom why management of the state run health facility would reject a donation from a sitting MP, who intended to use part of her Common Fund to buy the vehicle.
It is unclear which vehicle the management of the Ga South Municipal Hospital would use to transport patients from the facility to other referral centres in case of emergency in the absence of Obuobia’s ambulance.
Obuobia donated the ambulance to the hospital in August, this year as part of activities marking her 39th birthday anniversary to shore up support to defeat Ms Mensah in the 2016 elections.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu