Emergency services must meet our needs

Emergency services in the country are a challenge.

The lack of resources, logistics, poor maintenance and access to the location make service delivery a daunting task.

During fire disasters, it takes time for the fire engines to arrive at the scene and in most cases, access to water hydrants and the exact location of the disaster have always hindered prompt response.

Similarly, access to ambulance services has been a serious challenge, and, in most cases, lives are lost because of the late arrival of the ambulance.

In both cases, the service cannot be wholly blamed because the staff work under serious logistical constraints.

Aside from their own problems, the poor road network is a major constraint when it comes to mobility factors because, apart from huge potholes that have become characteristics of most of our roads in the country, heavy traffic, especially in the urban areas, impedes effective delivery of emergency services.

Most of the time, the ambulance or fire hydrant blares the siren but remains helpless because of the traffic and narrow nature of the roads, thus impeding the prompt response needed.

The service is particularly constrained, as the only ambulance for the area is normally at the district headquarters, where it leaves for an emergency.

Considering the vast nature of our districts, sometimes it becomes practically impossible to work efficiently.

An example is cited of one ambulance stationed at Kpone Katamanso in the Greater Accra Region, to serve the entire area to Oyibi, a distance of about 13 kilometres.  

How quickly can the ambulance leave Kpone to save lives in Oyibi in real time?

Clearly, one ambulance for a district or constituency cannot address the health needs and the emergency response of some constituencies or districts because of their large size and larger populations.

Some constituencies, by virtue of their size, would require more than one ambulance to ensure a quick response. We cannot afford to lose lives simply because of outdated or a lack of ambulance services.

It is in the light of these challenges that the appeal by the National Ambulance Service (NAS) for the acquisition of new ambulances, citing a UN policy that states that ambulances become weak after five years, becomes imperative.

While the Daily Graphic supports the need for new ambulances, it is important to drum home to the ambulance service that those in use need to be properly maintained.

It is a fact that in some communities and areas in the country, bicycles, motorbikes and tricycles are used to transport critically ill people to health centres and hospitals because of the absence of an ambulance.

So we believe that while the NAS is appealing for new ambulances, serious action should be taken to address these challenges in deprived areas.

We are happy that the Deputy Director, Public Relations of the NAS, Simmon Yussif Kewura, indicated that the service followed a strict maintenance regime and cleaning procedure for the ambulances.

Even as the NAS waits for its new fleet, the current 297 ones could be maintained and put in shape for areas where there is no ambulance service.

Ambulances should not be the preserve of urban dwellers, who have other alternatives.

As we join the rest of the world to commemorate World Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Day, the country needs to re-examine its emergency services to make it more accessible and inclusive to all Ghanaians, irrespective of their geographic location.

Additionally, it is important to observe the UN policy on the lifespan of five years for ambulances to ensure that an ambulance does not break down while on its way to provide a service.

Much as we expect the country to follow the UN policy, it is also imperative for the NAS to ensure that ambulances are handled with care and not mismanaged because new ones are supposed to be provided.

It is common knowledge in our public service sector that vehicles in the transport sector are tampered with, and within a short time, they are grounded, compared to personal vehicles, which are properly maintained.