The Ghana National Ambulance Service is grappling with a critical shortage of emergency vehicles in the Greater Accra Region, with only 42 ambulances currently available to serve the entire population, a situation that is now forcing dispatchers to ration emergency responses.
The Head of Dispatch for the region, Joyce Avadzinu, disclosed the dire situation in an interview with Citi News, saying the limited fleet is severely affecting response times and decision-making during emergencies.
“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 an inter-hospital referral and the patient can wait, we will make them wait,” she explained.
Ms Avadzinu said the dispatch team has no choice but to prioritise only the most critical cases, such as road traffic accidents (RTAs), cardiac arrests, and sudden collapses.
“As we make the dispatch, we try to keep some ambulances in reserve so that when there is a very severe emergency, then we can move them,” she said.
The approach, while necessary, means non-life-threatening emergencies may face delays or be deferred altogether. In the absence of adequate logistics, dispatchers are under immense pressure to ensure that no critically ill patient is left without immediate support.
According to Ms Avadzinu, her team is in constant contact with various ambulance stations across the region, ensuring real-time coordination to maintain minimal coverage.
“Anytime we move an ambulance, we alert the stations to be on standby. When they return, then we can move them again. Although this is difficult, we still have to manage with what we have,” she noted
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