307 ambulances: NPP a thinking government – Gabby Otchere Darko

Danquah Institute founder Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, has described the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) as a “thinking government” following the distribution of some 307 ambulances to all constituencies in the country.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Tuesday, 28 January 2020 commissioned 307 ambulances for distribution to all constituencies in the country.

The move forms part of measures to improve emergency and health care service in the country.

This is the single largest presentation of ambulances made to the Ghana Ambulance Service, since its establishment in 2004.

Reacting to this development, Mr Otchere-Darko who is also cousin to Nana Akufo-Addo in a Facebook post said: “Every country deserves a thinking Government. Ghana has one and deserves no less.”

According to him “In December 2015, the NDC Government ‘imported’ 200 ambulances according to the Greenbook Gospel. In fact, only 30 showed up but were also not mechanically fit for purpose and not even equipped to serve. It took the party which established the National Ambulance Service in 2004, the NPP, to fix it in 2020.”

He noted that the NPP, has not just focused on procuring 307 fully equipped new ambulances, with properly trained personnel, but the Akufo-Addo-led govt is building an entirely modern and efficient (digitised) management system for the National Ambulance Service, integrated with the national digital address system, using the new and single emergency number for all services, 112, to save and protect lives.

“This thinking government is also providing 145 additional ambulance stations (one for every constituency), recruiting 1,477 more ambulance staff, equipping the Paramedic and Emergency Care Training School; all this is to ensure that this project of improving emergency health service is truly sustained to save lives beyond procurement and election cycle incentives. This is on top of efforts to rescue the NHIS and introducing drones for emergency medical supplies.”