National Ambulance Service launches ‘Operation Save a Soul’ to improve emergency services
The National Ambulance Service (NAS) has launched a programme code-named ‘Operation Save a Soul’ to bring individuals and corporate organisations on board to enhance the emergency response system in Ghana.
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The programme will complement the government’s efforts at improving emergency services in the country.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NAS, Prof. Ahmed N. Zakariah, told the Daily Graphic in Accra last Tuesday that it was clear that the government alone could not meet all the demands of the service because of budgetary constraints, which he said necessitated the need for private sector interventions both from within and outside the country.
Ambulance stock
The standard number of ambulances required internationally is one ambulance to 25,000 people but the ratio in Ghana is 1:250,000.
Prof. Zakariah said ideally, Ghana, with a population of about 28 million, should be operating about 500 ambulances at a time; however, the NAS is currently operating about 55 ambulances out of the over 100 in its stock.
“At any point in time, some (ambulances) are in and out of the workshop so the service is unable to operate more than 50 per cent capacity,” Prof. Zakariah said.
Expectations of additional 200 ambulances from the central government last year fizzled out as only 30 came but with defects.
“By now, we should have had a new fleet but that has not come yet; the over 200 fleet that was to come last year had some procurement challenges. Thirty came with defects and the rest are yet to come,” the NAS boss said.
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Ambassador
In connection with the ‘Operation Save a Soul’ programme, the NAS recently appointed an ambassador for the programme in the person of Captain Smart of Adom FM.
According to the CEO, since the outdooring of the ambassador a couple of weeks ago, he has interacted with various entities and described the responses as encouraging.
“Last week, an organisation donated GH¢10,000 and others have made pledges and responses are also coming from Ghanaian communities abroad,” Prof. Zakariah said.
Emergency response
International standard set for paramedics to reach emergency incidents is eight minutes but in the case of Ghana, it takes between 20 to 25 minutes for emergency ambulances to respond to incidents.
In spite of the difficulties, the CEO said all was not lost and that the future was bright.
“The service is not in decline; from what the government has in store for us coupled with recent private sector interest in our activities, and our own efforts, the future looks good,” Prof. Zakariah indicated.