Government to add 100 new ambulances to national fleet in 2027

The government will add 100 new ambulances to Ghana’s national fleet in 2027 as part of efforts to strengthen emergency medical services.

Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh announced the plan during an interview on Joy News’ PM Express on Wednesday.

He said the government inherited a situation in which several ambulances were grounded, and none of the existing ambulances was insured.

According to him, the government has since insured the ambulance fleet and restored many of the vehicles to service.

“As I speak to you now, we have more than 200 ambulances functioning,” Mr Akandoh said.

He added that the government would replenish the fleet in 2027.

“We are going to replenish the fleet in 2027. We are going to add brand new 100 vehicles,” he said.

The Minister was also asked how the new ambulances would be distributed, particularly whether the government would continue the previous “one constituency, one ambulance” approach.

He said no final decision had been taken on the distribution model.

Mr Akandoh, however, suggested that areas with faulty or non-functional ambulances could be prioritised.

“We have not taken the decision yet, but I believe that if you have an ambulance within a particular area, and that ambulance is faulty, or is no longer functional, it’s only fair to replace that ambulance,” he said.

He said the government was also considering the strengths and weaknesses of the previous distribution system.

“But then we think about what they did, the pros and cons of the system we’ve tried: can we continue, or do we have to review it as a country?” he said.

The ambulance expansion forms part of wider measures being pursued by the Health Ministry to improve emergency care.

Mr Akandoh said more than 200 ambulances are currently functioning, while an electronic emergency bed management system is being piloted.

The system, he said, will give health authorities visibility over available emergency beds and help manage the limited capacity more effectively.

“We have started the piloting. We have the command centre at Ridge Hospital,” he said.

He said the system would also help authorities identify patients who remain in emergency units for more than 24 hours and prompt questions about why they have not been moved.

The Minister said the government is also expanding emergency capacity at major facilities, including Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Tamale Teaching Hospital, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and the 37 Military Hospital.

He said the measures are part of efforts to implement recommendations to improve Ghana’s emergency care system.