The Ministry of Health (MoH), in collaboration with the National Ambulance Service (NAS), has handed over 30 ambulances stationed at the Ghana Air Force Base at Burma Camp, Accra, to the National Security for refurbishment and integration into the national emergency response fleet.
The development follows legal clearance from the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice, which authorised the Ministry to retrieve and assess the vehicles for potential operational use.
An initial assessment of the ambulances has been undertaken by the State Transport Company (STC), with further technical checks expected to determine their roadworthiness and the extent of refurbishment required before any of the vehicles can be deployed.
The handover forms part of efforts by the Government to recover and restore available emergency response assets to strengthen the operational capacity of the National Ambulance Service and improve access to timely pre-hospital emergency care across the country.
Present at the handing over were the Legal Adviser to the Minister for Health, Lawyer Abubakar Mutiu-Rahaman; the Board Chairman of the National Ambulance Service, Nana Baffour Kotei Kutin Sraman II (Bremahene); the Chief Executive Officer of NAS, Dr. (Med) George Kojo Owusu; and representatives of the National Security and the Ghana Armed Forces.
The keys to the 30 ambulances were formally presented to a representative of National Security, who will oversee the refurbishment process.
Following the refurbishment, the ambulances will be subjected to the necessary technical and roadworthiness assessments before being cleared for operational deployment.
The addition of the vehicles, once refurbished and certified for use, is expected to provide a significant boost to the emergency ambulance fleet and enhance the Service’s capacity to respond to medical emergencies and transport patients safely and promptly.
The initiative underscores ongoing efforts to strengthen Ghana’s emergency medical response system by maximising available public assets and expanding the capacity of the National Ambulance Service to deliver timely pre-hospital emergency care to communities across the country.