By Frank Kwame Abbor
Tsito (V/R), July 27, GNA – Mr Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, Member of Parliament (MP) for Ho West Constituency, has donated two fully equipped ambulances to the Ghana National Ambulance Service (NAS) to improve emergency healthcare delivery and response times across the constituency.
The presentation, held at Tsito in the Volta Region, formed part of the MP’s efforts to strengthen healthcare infrastructure after the two ambulances previously assigned to the constituency became non-functional.
Presenting the vehicles, Mr Bedzrah said the donation was motivated by the urgent need to restore emergency medical services in the district and ensure residents had timely access to life-saving care.
“I realised that the two ambulances allocated to Ho West had all broken down, and I could not sit unconcerned while my people struggled to access emergency healthcare. These ambulances are to serve every community in Ho West,” he said.
The MP stressed the importance of proper maintenance to ensure the longevity of the vehicles, saying discussions had already been held with the management of the National Ambulance Service on their upkeep.
“I have done my part. It is now left with the Ambulance Service to maintain them. I also believe the District Chief Executive will support efforts to ensure these ambulances remain in active service for the people,” he stated.
Mr Bedzrah announced additional interventions to improve healthcare delivery in the district, including the donation of laptop computers to all health facilities to support electronic medical records management.
“I visited the Tsito Health Centre and realised the records management system needed improvement. By next week, we will donate laptops to all health facilities in the district to help digitise patient records and improve efficiency,” he said.
He disclosed that renovation works on the Tsibu Health Facility had been awarded, while three newly constructed Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds would be commissioned next month to expand access to primary healthcare.
Receiving the ambulances on behalf of the National Ambulance Service, Mr George Kojo Owusu, Volta Regional Director of the Service, described the donation as timely and significant.
“These two ambulances are more than vehicles; they are mobile emergency rooms equipped with trained Emergency Medical Technicians and life-saving equipment that will bring healthcare closer to the people of Ho West,” he said.
Mr Owusu noted that the donation came at a time when the Service’s national fleet was overstretched due to increasing demand for emergency medical services across the country.
“Your gesture comes at a critical time. These ambulances will improve response times, expand emergency coverage and save lives by ensuring the timely transfer of accident victims, pregnant women and patients with chronic diseases to appropriate health facilities,” he stated.
He assured the MP and residents that the Ambulance Service would immediately deploy the vehicles with trained personnel and maintain them to the highest operational standards.
“We pledge to deploy these ambulances immediately, maintain them properly, and account to the people through our dispatch and reporting systems. We regard these ambulances as a public trust,” Mr Owusu said.
He appealed to residents to protect the ambulances and use the national emergency number, 112, responsibly whenever emergency medical assistance was required.
The donation is expected to significantly strengthen emergency healthcare delivery in the Ho West Constituency and improve access to life-saving medical services for residents, particularly those in rural communities.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah /Audrey Dekalu