Health Officials Ration Emergency Responses As Greater Accra Faces Critical Ambulance Shortage

Medical officials in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana are being compelled to ration emergency responses due to critical shortage of ambulances in the region.

According to the Head of Dispatch for the Ghana National Ambulance Service in the Greater Accra Region, Joyce Avadzinu, the Greater Accra Region currently has 42 ambulances.

Joyce revealed this while speaking in an interview on Accra-based CitiFM.

She says the critical shortage of ambulances has been forcing dispatchers to ration emergency responses.

She says the ambulance shortage has placed significant strain on emergency services, saying due to the limited fleet, dispatchers are often compelled to hold back some ambulances for only the most severe cases.

According to her, “We are managing because, with the 42 ambulances, most of them will be on cases at the time a request comes. So, if the case is in an inter-hospital referral and the patient can wait, we will make them wait.”

Joyce said “As we make the dispatch, we try to keep some so that when there is a very severe emergency, like RTA, or sudden collapse, then we move them,” adding that dispatchers are constantly coordinating with ambulance stations to ensure availability for critical situations.

She noted “So, anytime we move an ambulance, we alert the stations to be on standby. When they return then we can move them. Although this is difficult, we still have to manage with what we have.”

Source: Africa Publicity