A timely delivery of auto parts and other medical supplies by James Gyakye Quayson, the Assin North Member of Parliament (MP), has revived the district’s ambulance, which was grounded for weeks brought on the road.
The items include new vehicle tyres to replace worn ones, as well as several adjustable beds to facilitate hospital patient care, transportation and referrals.
The ambulance serves more than 58 communities through its digitalized management system, integrated with the National Digital Property Address System.
It was grounded due to tire failure, creating a huge vacuum in residents’ emergency health services.
Numerous appeals to the District Assembly and other corporate entities to support the maintenance of the ambulance fell on deadly ears.
Alternatively, residents in hard-to-reach communities had to resort to the services of private facilities to respond to serious health emergencies at exorbitant prices.
Others relied on services from neighboring districts such as Adansi South District in the Ashanti Region, Assin Fosu Municipality, Birim South District in the Eastern Region and Twifo Atti-Morkwa District in the Central Region.
Presenting the items on behalf of the MP, Mr Sylvester Amakye Nyarkoh, the National Democratic Congress Electoral Officer and Director of Communications for Assin North Constituency, emphasized the MP’s commitment to improving the welfare of residents.
He said as much, which was reflected in his quick response to the agency’s request to ensure an effective emergency medical service to help improve the district’s emergency response capabilities.
Mr. Obed Adu Sarkodie, the Advance Emergency Medical Technologist (AEMT) in the district, expressed the ordeal of the service and was grateful to the Member of Parliament for the gesture.
“We are pleased to say that the wait is finally over and that the ambulance is now fit for purpose and ready for use. We need such support to provide pre-hospital emergency care to road traffic victims, domestic, industrial and medical cases.
“We provide standby emergency coverage during mass public gatherings and liaise with other emergency services in times of disasters or incidents with many casualties,” he indicated, urging voters to continue to support him and pray for him to to facilitate ongoing development projects.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo commissioned and distributed 307 ambulances in the year 2020 to help improve the operations of the service.
The new ambulances were distributed to all 275 constituencies in Ghana in implementation of the government’s 2016 election campaign to help improve emergency healthcare.
According to the Ministry of Health, before the introduction of the 307 ambulances, there were only 50 functioning ambulances.